Methods, architectures, devices and systems for distributed artificial intelligence

Abstract

A process, method, architecture, apparatus, system, apparatus, and computer program product for distributed artificial intelligence (AI). A first apparatus: iteratively processes, using a machine learning model having a plurality of layers, a plurality of portions of sequentially organized data up to intermediate layers of the machine learning model to obtain corresponding intermediate data; determining that a subsequent portion of the sequentially organized data is not processed; and transmitting, to a second device, information indicating that the subsequent portion has been discarded.

Description

Cross-references to related applications

[0001] This patent application claims the benefit of European patent application 23306451.8, filed on August 31, 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Background Technology

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to the fields of communications, software, and coding, including, for example, methods, architectures, devices, and systems relating to collaborative artificial intelligence (AI). Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect, this principle relates to a first apparatus comprising at least one hardware processor configured to: iteratively process multiple portions of sequentially organized data using a machine learning model having multiple layers up to an intermediate layer of the machine learning model to obtain corresponding intermediate data; determine that subsequent portions of the sequentially organized data should not be processed; and transmit information to a second apparatus indicating that the subsequent portions have been discarded.

[0004] In a second aspect, this principle relates to a method executed in a first device, the method comprising: using a machine learning model having multiple layers to iteratively process multiple portions of sequentially organized data up to an intermediate layer of the machine learning model to obtain corresponding intermediate data; determining that subsequent portions of the sequentially organized data should not be processed; and transmitting information to a second device indicating that the subsequent portions have been discarded.

[0005] In a third aspect, this principle relates to a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement a method comprising: iteratively processing multiple portions of sequentially organized data up to an intermediate layer of the machine learning model using a machine learning model having multiple layers to obtain corresponding intermediate data; determining that subsequent portions of the sequentially organized data should not be processed; and transmitting information to a second device indicating that the subsequent portions have been discarded. Attached Figure Description

[0006] A more detailed understanding can be obtained from the following detailed description given by way of example in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. As with the detailed description, the figures in such drawings are illustrative. Therefore, the figures and detailed description should not be considered limiting, and other equally valid examples may be possible and are quite likely. Furthermore, the same reference numerals in the figures indicate the same elements, and wherein: Figure 1A This is a system diagram illustrating an exemplary communication system; Figure 1B It shows that it can be shown Figure 1A A system diagram of an exemplary wireless transmit / receive unit (WTRU) used within the communication system shown; Figure 1C It shows that it can be shown Figure 1A A system diagram of an exemplary radio access network (RAN) and an exemplary core network (CN) used within the communication system shown; Figure 1D It shows that it can be shown Figure 1A The system diagram shown illustrates yet another exemplary RAN and yet another exemplary CN used within the communication system. Figure 2 Different examples of segmentation in AI / ML models are shown; Figure 3 An example of a scenario according to the first embodiment of this principle is shown; and Figure 4 An example scenario of a second embodiment based on this principle is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0007] In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments and / or examples disclosed herein. However, it will be understood that such embodiments and examples may be practiced without some or all of the specific details set forth herein. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the following description. Furthermore, embodiments and examples not specifically described herein may be practiced in place of or in combination with the embodiments and other examples expressly, implicitly, and / or inherently described, disclosed, or otherwise provided herein (collectively, the “Provided”). Although various embodiments are described and / or claimed herein in which devices, systems, apparatuses, etc., and / or any elements thereof perform operations, processes, algorithms, functions, etc., and / or any part thereof, it should be understood that any embodiment described and / or claimed herein assumes that any device, system, apparatus, etc., and / or any element thereof is configured to perform any operation, process, algorithm, function, etc., and / or any part thereof.

[0008] Exemplary communication system The methods, apparatus, and systems described herein are well-suited for communications involving wired and wireless networks. About Figures 1A to 1D An overview of various types of wireless devices and infrastructures is provided, wherein various elements of a network can utilize, perform, be arranged according to, and / or be adapted to and / or configured for use with the methods, devices and systems provided herein.

[0009] Figure 1AThis is a system diagram illustrating an example communication system 100 in which one or more of the disclosed embodiments may be implemented. The communication system 100 may be a multiple access system providing content such as voice, data, video, messaging, and broadcasting to multiple wireless users. The communication system 100 enables multiple wireless users to access such content by sharing system resources (including wireless broadband). For example, the communication system 100 may employ one or more channel access methods, such as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Orthogonal FDMA (OFDMA), Single Carrier FDMA (SC-FDMA), Zero-Tail (ZT) Unique Word (UW) Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) Extended OFDM (ZT UW DTS-s OFDM), Unique Word OFDM (UW-OFDM), Resource Block Filtered OFDM, Filter Bank Multicarrier (FBMC), etc.

[0010] like Figure 1A As shown, the communication system 100 may include wireless transmit / receive units (WTRUs) 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d, radio access networks (RANs) 104 / 113, core networks (CNs) 106 / 115, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs) 108, the Internet 110, and other networks 112. However, it will be understood that the disclosed embodiments contemplate any number of WTRUs, base stations, networks, and / or network elements. Each of the WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d can be any type of device configured to operate and / or communicate in a wireless environment. For example, WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d (any of which may be referred to as a “station” and / or “STA”) may be configured to transmit and / or receive wireless signals and may include (or) user equipment (UE), mobile stations, fixed or mobile subscriber units, subscription-based units, pagers, cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), smartphones, laptops, netbooks, personal computers, wireless sensors, hotspots or Mi-Fi devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, watches or other wearable devices, head-mounted displays (HMDs), vehicles, drones, medical devices and applications (e.g., remote surgery), industrial devices and applications (e.g., robots and / or other wireless devices operating in the context of industrial and / or automated processing chains), consumer electronics devices, devices operating on commercial and / or industrial wireless networks, etc. Any of WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d may be interchangeably referred to as a UE.

[0011] The communication system 100 may also include base station 114a and / or base station 114b. Each of base stations 114a and 114b can be any type of device configured to wirelessly connect to at least one of WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d, for example, to facilitate access to one or more communication networks, such as CN 106 / 115, Internet 110, and / or Network 112. For example, base stations 114a and 114b can be base transceiver stations (BTS), Node-B (NB), eNode-B (eNB), home node B (HNB), home eNode-B (HeNB), gNode-B (gNB), NR Node-B (NR NB), site controllers, access points (APs), wireless routers, etc. Although base stations 114a and 114b are each depicted as a single element, it will be understood that base stations 114a and 114b can include any number of interconnected base stations and / or network elements.

[0012] Base station 114a may be part of RAN 104 / 113, which may also include other base stations and / or network elements (not shown), such as base station controllers (BSCs), radio network controllers (RNCs), relay nodes, etc. Base station 114a and / or base station 114b may be configured to transmit and / or receive radio signals on one or more carrier frequencies, which may be referred to as cells (not shown). These frequencies may be in licensed spectrum, unlicensed spectrum, or a combination of licensed and unlicensed spectrum. A cell may provide coverage for a specific geographic area that may be relatively fixed or may change over time. A cell may also be divided into cell sectors. For example, the cell associated with base station 114a may be divided into three sectors. Therefore, in an embodiment, base station 114a may include three transceivers, i.e., one transceiver per sector of the cell. In an embodiment, base station 114a may employ multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology and may utilize multiple transceivers for each or any sector of the cell. For example, beamforming may be used to transmit and / or receive signals in a desired spatial direction.

[0013] Base stations 114a and 114b can communicate with one or more of WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d via air interface 116, which can be any suitable wireless communication link (e.g., radio frequency (RF), microwave, centimeter wave, micrometer wave, infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), visible light, etc.). Any suitable radio access technology (RAT) can be used to establish air interface 116.

[0014] More specifically, as described above, the communication system 100 can be a multiple access system and can employ one or more channel access schemes, such as CDMA, TDMA, FDMA, OFDMA, SC-FDMA, etc. For example, base station 114a in RAN 104 / 113 and WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c can implement radio technologies such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA), which can use Wideband CDMA (WCDMA) to establish the air interface 116. WCDMA can include communication protocols such as High-Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA) and / or Evolved HSPA (HSPA+). HSPA can include High-Speed ​​Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) and / or High-Speed ​​Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA).

[0015] In the embodiment, base station 114a and WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c can implement radio technologies such as Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA), which can use Long Term Evolution (LTE) and / or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) and / or LTE-Advanced Pro (LTE-A Pro) to establish air interface 116.

[0016] In the embodiment, base station 114a and WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c can implement radio technologies such as NR radio access, which can use New Radio (NR) to establish air interface 116.

[0017] In the embodiments, base station 114a and WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can implement multiple radio access technologies. For example, base station 114a and WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can, for instance, use the dual connectivity (DC) principle to jointly implement LTE radio access and NR radio access. Therefore, the air interface used by WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can be characterized by multiple types of radio access technologies and / or transmissions sent to / from multiple types of base stations (e.g., eNBs and gNBs).

[0018] In the embodiments, base station 114a and WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can implement radio technologies such as IEEE 802.11 (i.e., Wi-Fi), IEEE 802.16 (i.e., Global System for Multi-Use Microwave Access (WiMAX)), CDMA2000, CDMA2000 1X, CDMA2000 EV-DO, Provisional Standard 2000 (IS-2000), Provisional Standard 95 (IS-95), Provisional Standard 856 (IS-856), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rate GSM Evolution (EDGE), and GSM EDGE (GERAN).

[0019] Figure 1A Base station 114b can be, for example, a wireless router, a home Node-B, a home eNode-B, or an access point, and can utilize any suitable RAT to facilitate wireless connectivity in localized areas such as commercial locations, homes, vehicles, campuses, industrial facilities, air corridors (e.g., for use by drones), roads, etc. In embodiments, base station 114b and WTRUs 102c, 102d can implement radio technologies such as IEEE 802.11 to establish a wireless local area network (WLAN). In embodiments, base station 114b and WTRUs 102c, 102d can implement radio technologies such as IEEE 802.15 to establish a wireless personal area network (WPAN). In embodiments, base station 114b and WTRUs 102c, 102d can utilize cellular-based RATs (e.g., WCDMA, CDMA2000, GSM, LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro, NR, etc.) to establish any of the following: small cells, pico cells, or femtocells. Figure 1A As shown, base station 114b can be directly connected to Internet 110. Therefore, base station 114b does not need to access Internet 110 via CN106 / 115.

[0020] RAN 104 / 113 can communicate with CN 106 / 115, which can be any type of network configured to provide voice, data, application, and / or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services to one or more of WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d. Data can have different Quality of Service (QoS) requirements, such as different throughput requirements, latency requirements, fault tolerance requirements, reliability requirements, data throughput requirements, mobility requirements, etc. CN 106 / 115 can provide call control, billing services, location-based services, prepaid calling, internet connectivity, video distribution, etc., and / or perform advanced security functions (such as user authentication). Although Figure 1AAs not shown, but will be understood, RAN 104 / 113 and / or CN 106 / 115 can communicate directly or indirectly with other RANs employing the same RAT as or a different RAT than RAN 104 / 113. For example, in addition to being connected to RAN 104 / 113, which may be utilizing NR radio technology, CN 106 / 115 can also communicate with another RAN (not shown) employing any of the following radio technologies: GSM, UMTS, CDMA 2000, WiMAX, E-UTRA, or Wi-Fi.

[0021] CN 106 / 115 can also serve as a gateway for WTRU 102a, 102b, 102c, 102d to access PSTN 108, the Internet 110, and / or other networks 112. PSTN 108 may include a circuit-switched telephone network providing Common Old-Style Telephone Service (POTS). The Internet 110 may include a global system of interconnected computer networks and devices using common communication protocols such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and / or Internet Protocol (IP) from the TCP / IP Internet Protocol suite. Network 112 may include wired and / or wireless communication networks owned and / or operated by other service providers. For example, network 112 may include another CN connected to one or more RANs, which may use the same RAT as RAN 104 / 114 or a different RAT.

[0022] Some or all of the WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d in communication system 100 may include multi-mode capabilities (e.g., WTRUs 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d may include multiple transceivers for communicating with different wireless networks via different wireless links). For example, Figure 1A The WTRU 102c shown can be configured to communicate with a base station 114a that can use cellular-based radio technology and with a base station 114b that can use IEEE 802 radio technology.

[0023] Figure 1B This is a system diagram illustrating example WTRU 102. (See diagram below.) Figure 1B As shown, WTRU 102 may include a processor 118, a transceiver 120, a transmitting / receiving element 122, a speaker / microphone 124, a keypad 126, a display / touchpad 128, non-removable memory 130, removable memory 132, a power supply 134, a Global Positioning System (GPS) chipset 136, and / or other components / peripherals 138, etc. It will be understood that, while remaining consistent with the embodiments, WTRU 102 may include any sub-combination of the foregoing components.

[0024] Processor 118 may be a general-purpose processor, a special-purpose processor, a conventional processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors associated with a DSP core, a controller, a microcontroller, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) circuit, any other type of integrated circuit (IC), a state machine, etc. Processor 118 may perform signal encoding, data processing, power control, input / output processing, and / or any other functions that enable WTRU 102 to operate in a wireless environment. Processor 118 may be coupled to transceiver 120, which may be coupled to transmitting / receiving element 122. Although Figure 1B The processor 118 and transceiver 120 are depicted as separate components, but it will be understood that the processor 118 and transceiver 120 can be integrated together, for example, in an electronic package or chip.

[0025] Transmitting / receiving element 122 can be configured to transmit signals to or receive signals from a base station (e.g., base station 114a) via air interface 116. For example, in one embodiment, transmitting / receiving element 122 can be an antenna configured to transmit and / or receive RF signals. In another embodiment, transmitting / receiving element 122 can be a transmitter / detector configured to transmit and / or receive, for example, IR, UV, or visible light signals. In yet another embodiment, transmitting / receiving element 122 can be configured to transmit and / or receive both RF signals and optical signals. It will be understood that transmitting / receiving element 122 can be configured to transmit and / or receive any combination of wireless signals.

[0026] Although the transmitting / receiving element 122 is in Figure 1B While depicted as a single element, WTRU 102 may include any number of transmitting / receiving elements 122. For example, WTRU 102 may employ MIMO technology. Therefore, in an embodiment, WTRU 102 may include two or more transmitting / receiving elements 122 (e.g., multiple antennas) for transmitting and receiving wireless signals via air interface 116.

[0027] Transceiver 120 can be configured to modulate signals transmitted by transmitting / receiving element 122 and demodulate signals received by transmitting / receiving element 122. As described above, WTRU 102 can have multi-mode capability. Therefore, transceiver 120 can include multiple transceivers for enabling WTRU 102 to communicate via various RATs (e.g., such as NR and IEEE 802.11).

[0028] The processor 118 of WTRU 102 can be coupled to and receive user input data from: a speaker / microphone 124, a keypad 126, and / or a display / touchpad 128 (e.g., a liquid crystal display (LCD) unit or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display unit). The processor 118 can also output user data to the speaker / microphone 124, keypad 126, and / or display / touchpad 128. Additionally, the processor 118 can access information and store data from any suitable type of memory, such as non-removable memory 130 and / or removable memory 132. Non-removable memory 130 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), a hard disk, or any other type of memory storage device. Removable memory 132 may include a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, memory stick, secure digital storage (SD) card, etc. In other embodiments, the processor 118 can access information and store data from memory not physically located on WTRU 102 (such as on a server or home computer (not shown)).

[0029] The processor 118 may receive power from the power supply 134 and may be configured to distribute power to other components in the WTRU 102 and / or control power to those other components. The power supply 134 may be any suitable device for powering the WTRU 102. For example, the power supply 134 may include one or more dry cell batteries (e.g., nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel-zinc (NiZn), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), lithium-ion (Li-ion), etc.), solar cells, fuel cells, etc.

[0030] The processor 118 may also be coupled to a GPS chipset 136, which may be configured to provide location information (e.g., longitude and latitude) about the current location of the WTRU 102. In addition to or instead of information from the GPS chipset 136, the WTRU 102 may receive location information from base stations (e.g., base stations 114a, 114b) via air interface 116, and / or determine its location based on the timing of signals received from two or more nearby base stations. It will be understood that, while remaining consistent with the embodiments, the WTRU 102 may acquire location information using any suitable location determination method.

[0031] Processor 118 may also be coupled to other components / peripherals 138, which may include one or more software and / or hardware modules / units providing additional features, functions, and / or wired or wireless connectivity. For example, components / peripherals 138 may include accelerometers, electronic compasses, satellite transceivers, digital cameras (e.g., for photos and / or video), Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports, vibration devices, television transceivers, hands-free headsets, Bluetooth® modules, FM radio units, digital music players, media players, video game player modules, internet browsers, virtual reality and / or augmented reality (VR / AR) devices, activity trackers, etc. Components / peripherals 138 may include one or more sensors, which may be one or more of the following: gyroscopes, accelerometers, Hall effect sensors, magnetometers, orientation sensors, proximity sensors, temperature sensors, time sensors; geolocation sensors; altimeters, light sensors, touch sensors, magnetometers, barometers, gesture sensors, biometric sensors, and / or humidity sensors.

[0032] WTRU 102 may include a full-duplex radio, for which the transmission and reception of some or all of the signals (e.g., signals associated with a specific subframe of both the uplink (e.g., for transmission) and the downlink (e.g., for reception)) may be concurrent and / or simultaneous. The full-duplex radio may include an interference management unit to reduce and / or substantially eliminate self-interference through signal processing via hardware (e.g., a choke) or via a processor (e.g., a separate processor (not shown) or via processor 118). In embodiments, WTRU 102 may include a half-duplex radio, for which the transmission and reception of some or all of the signals (e.g., signals associated with a specific subframe of both the uplink (e.g., for transmission) and the downlink (e.g., for reception)) are separate.

[0033] Figure 1C This is a system diagram illustrating RAN 104 and CN 106 according to an embodiment. As described above, RAN 104 can employ E-UTRA radio technology to communicate with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 116. RAN 104 can also communicate with CN 106.

[0034] RAN 104 may include eNode-Bs 160a, 160b, and 160c, but it will be understood that RAN 104 may include any number of eNode-Bs while remaining consistent with the embodiments. eNode-Bs 160a, 160b, and 160c may each include one or more transceivers for communicating with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 116. In the embodiments, eNode-Bs 160a, 160b, and 160c may implement MIMO technology. Therefore, for example, eNode-B 160a may use multiple antennas to transmit and receive radio signals from WTRU 102a.

[0035] Each of the eNode-B 160a, 160b, and 160c can be associated with a specific cell (not shown) and can be configured to handle radio resource management decisions, handover decisions, user scheduling in the uplink (UL) and / or downlink (DL), etc. Figure 1C As shown, eNode-B 160a, 160b, and 160c can communicate with each other via the X2 interface.

[0036] Figure 1C The CN 106 shown may include a Mobility Management Entity (MME) 162, a Serving Gateway (SGW) 164, and a Packet Data Network (PDN) Gateway (PGW) 166. While each of the foregoing elements is depicted as part of the CN 106, it will be understood that any of these elements may be owned and / or operated by an entity other than a CN operator.

[0037] The MME 162 can connect to each of the eNode-Bs 160a, 160b, and 160c in RAN 104 via the S1 interface and can act as a control node. For example, the MME 162 can be responsible for authenticating users of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c, bearer activation / deactivation, selecting a specific serving gateway during the initial attachment of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c, etc. The MME 162 can provide control plane functions for handover between RAN 104 and other RANs (not shown) employing other radio technologies such as GSM and / or WCDMA.

[0038] The SGW 164 can connect to each of the eNode Bs 160a, 160b, and 160c in RAN 104 via the S1 interface. The SGW 164 can typically route and forward user data packets to or from WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c. The SGW 164 can perform other functions such as anchoring the user plane during eNode-B handover, triggering paging when DL data is available to WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c, and managing and storing the context of WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c.

[0039] SGW 164 can be connected to PGW 166, which can provide WTRU 102a, 102b, 102c with access to packet-switched networks (such as Internet 110) to facilitate communication between WTRU 102a, 102b, 102c and IP-enabled devices.

[0040] CN 106 can facilitate communication with other networks. For example, CN 106 can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to circuit-switched networks (such as PSTN 108) to facilitate communication between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and conventional terrestrial line communication devices. For example, CN 106 may include an IP gateway (e.g., an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) server) or be able to communicate with it, serving as an interface between CN 106 and PSTN 108. Additionally, CN 106 can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to other networks 112, which may include other wired and / or wireless networks owned and / or operated by other service providers.

[0041] Despite WTRU in Figures 1A to 1D While described as a wireless terminal, it is conceivable that in some representative embodiments, such a terminal may (e.g., temporarily or permanently) use a wired communication interface with a communication network.

[0042] In a representative embodiment, the other network 112 may be a WLAN.

[0043] A WLAN in Infrastructure Basic Services Set (BSS) mode may have an Access Point (AP) for the BSS and one or more Stations (STAs) associated with the AP. The AP may access or interface with a Distribution System (DS) or another type of wired / wireless network that carries traffic entering and / or leaving the BSS. Traffic originating outside the BSS destined for a STA can be delivered to the AP. Traffic originating from a STA destined for a destination outside the BSS can be sent to the AP for delivery to the appropriate destination. Traffic between STAs within the BSS can be sent via the AP, for example, where a source STA can send traffic to the AP, and the AP can deliver the traffic to the destination STA. Traffic between STAs within the BSS can be considered and / or referred to as peer-to-peer traffic. Peer-to-peer traffic can be sent between a source STA and a destination STA using Direct Link Establishment (DLS) (e.g., directly between them). In some representative embodiments, the DLS may use 802.11e DLS or 802.11z Tunneled DLS (TDLS). A WLAN using the Standalone BSS (IBSS) mode may not have an access point (AP), and STAs within the IBSS or using the IBSS (e.g., all STAs) can communicate directly with each other. The IBSS communication mode may sometimes be referred to as the "ad-hoc" communication mode in this article.

[0044] When operating in 802.11ac infrastructure mode or a similar mode, the AP can transmit beacons on a fixed channel, such as the primary channel. The primary channel can be of fixed width (e.g., a 20 MHz bandwidth) or dynamically set via signaling. The primary channel can be the operating channel of the BSS and can be used by the STA to establish a connection with the AP. In some representative embodiments, Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA / CA) with collision avoidance can be implemented, for example, in an 802.11 system. For CSMA / CA, each STA, including the AP, can sense the primary channel. If a particular STA senses / detects the primary channel and / or determines that the primary channel is busy, that STA can back off. In a given BSS, at any given time, only one STA (e.g., only one station) can transmit.

[0045] High-throughput (HT) STAs can communicate using a 40 MHz wide channel, for example, by combining a primary 20 MHz channel with adjacent or non-adjacent 20 MHz channels.

[0046] Very High Throughput (VHT) STAs can support channels with widths of 20 MHz, 40 MHz, 80 MHz, and / or 160 MHz. 40 MHz and / or 80 MHz channels can be formed by combining consecutive 20 MHz channels. A 160 MHz channel can be formed by combining eight consecutive 20 MHz channels, or by combining two non-consecutive 80 MHz channels, which can be referred to as an 80+80 configuration. In the 80+80 configuration, data, after channel coding, can be passed through a fragment parser that splits the data into two streams. Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) processing and time-domain processing can be performed on each stream separately. The streams can be mapped onto the two 80 MHz channels, and the data can be transmitted by the transmitting STA. At the receiver of the receiving STA, the above operations of the 80+80 configuration can be reversed, and the combined data can be sent to the Media Access Control (MAC) layer, entities, etc.

[0047] 802.11af and 802.11ah support operating modes below 1 GHz. The channel operating bandwidth and carrier in 802.11af and 802.11ah are reduced compared to those used in 802.11n and 802.11ac. 802.11af supports 5 MHz, 10 MHz, and 20 MHz bandwidths in the TV Blank (TVWS) spectrum, and 802.11ah supports 1 MHz, 2 MHz, 4 MHz, 8 MHz, and 16 MHz bandwidths using non-TVWS spectrum. According to a representative embodiment, 802.11ah may support instrument-type control / machine-type communication (MTC), such as MTC devices in macro coverage areas. MTC devices may have certain capabilities, such as limited capabilities to support (e.g., only support) certain and / or limited bandwidths. MTC devices may include batteries with a battery life exceeding a threshold (e.g., to maintain a very long battery life).

[0048] WLAN systems that can support multiple channels and channel bandwidths (such as 802.11n, 802.11ac, 802.11af, and 802.11ah) include a channel that can be designated as the primary channel. The primary channel can have a bandwidth equal to the maximum common operating bandwidth supported by all STAs in the BSS. The bandwidth of the primary channel can be set and / or limited by the STAs operating in the BSS that support the minimum bandwidth operating mode. In the 802.11ah example, for STAs that support (e.g., only support) the 1 MHz mode (e.g., MTC type devices), the primary channel can be 1 MHz wide even if the AP and other STAs in the BSS support 2 MHz, 4 MHz, 8 MHz, 16 MHz, and / or other channel bandwidth operating modes. Carrier Sense and / or Network Assignment Vector (NAV) settings can depend on the status of the primary channel. If the primary channel is busy, for example, because an STA (which only supports the 1 MHz operating mode) is transmitting to the AP, the entire available band may be considered busy even if most of the band remains idle and potentially available.

[0049] In the United States, the available frequency band for 802.11ah is 902 MHz to 928 MHz. In South Korea, the available frequency band is 917.5 MHz to 923.5 MHz. In Japan, the available frequency band is 916.5 MHz to 927.5 MHz. The total available bandwidth for 802.11ah is 6 MHz to 26 MHz, depending on the country code.

[0050] Figure 1D This is a system diagram illustrating RAN 113 and CN 115 according to an embodiment. As described above, RAN 113 may employ NR radio technology to communicate with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 116. RAN 113 may also communicate with CN 115.

[0051] RAN 113 may include gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c, but it will be understood that RAN 113 may include any number of gNBs while remaining consistent with the embodiments. gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c may each include one or more transceivers for communicating with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c via air interface 116. In embodiments, gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c may implement MIMO technology. For example, gNBs 180a and 180b may utilize beamforming to transmit signals to and / or receive signals from WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c. Therefore, for example, gNB 180a may use multiple antennas to transmit radio signals to and / or receive radio signals from WTRU 102a. In embodiments, gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c may implement carrier aggregation technology. For example, gNB 180a can transmit multiple component carriers to WTRU 102a (not shown). A subset of these component carriers may be located on unlicensed spectrum, while the remaining component carriers may be located on licensed spectrum. In embodiments, gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c can implement Coordinated Multipoint (CoMP) technology. For example, WTRU 102a can receive coordinated transmissions from gNBs 180a and 180b (and / or gNB 180c).

[0052] WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can communicate with gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c using transmissions associated with a scalable set of parameters. For example, the OFDM symbol spacing and / or OFDM subcarrier spacing can vary for different transmissions, different cells, and / or different portions of the radio transmission spectrum. WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can communicate with gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c using subframes or transmission time intervals (TTIs) of various lengths or scalable lengths (e.g., including different numbers of OFDM symbols and / or absolute times of varying durations).

[0053] gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c can be configured to communicate with WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c in standalone and / or non-standalone configurations. In standalone configuration, WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can communicate with gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c without accessing other RANs (e.g., eNodeBs 160a, 160b, and 160c). In standalone configuration, WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can use one or more of gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c as mobile anchors. In standalone configuration, WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can communicate with gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c using signals in unlicensed frequency bands. In a non-standalone configuration, WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can communicate / connect with gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c while also communicating / connecting with another RAN (such as eNode-Bs 160a, 160b, and 160c). For example, WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can implement DC principles to communicate substantially simultaneously with one or more gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c and one or more eNode-Bs 160a, 160b, and 160c. In a non-standalone configuration, eNode-Bs 160a, 160b, and 160c can act as mobile anchors for WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c, and gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c can provide additional coverage and / or throughput to serve WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c.

[0054] Each of gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c can be associated with a specific cell (not shown) and can be configured to handle radio resource management decisions, handover decisions, user scheduling in UL and / or DL, support for network slicing, dual connectivity, interoperability between NR and E-UTRA, routing of user plane data to User Plane Functions (UPF) 184a and 184b, routing of control plane information to Access and Mobility Management Functions (AMF) 182a and 182b, etc. Figure 1D As shown, gNB180a, 180b, and 180c can communicate with each other via the Xn interface.

[0055] Figure 1DThe CN 115 shown may include at least one AMF 182a, 182b, at least one UPF 184a, 184b, at least one Session Management Function (SMF) 183a, 183b, and at least one Data Network (DN) 185a, 185b. While each of the foregoing elements is described as part of the CN 115, it will be understood that any of these elements may be owned and / or operated by an entity other than a CN operator.

[0056] AMF 182a and 182b can connect to one or more of the gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c in RAN 113 via the N2 interface and can act as control nodes. For example, AMF 182a and 182b can be responsible for authenticating users of WTRU 102a, 102b, and 102c, supporting network slicing (e.g., handling different Protocol Data Unit (PDU) sessions with different requirements), selecting specific SMF 183a and 183b, managing registration areas, terminating NAS signaling, mobility management, etc. AMF 182a and 182b can use network slicing, for example, to customize CN support for WTRU 102a, 102b, and 102c based on the service types being used by WTRU 102a, 102b, and 102c. For example, different network slices can be created for different use cases, such as services that rely on Ultra Reliable Low Latency (URLLC) access, services that rely on Enhanced Massive Mobile Broadband (eMBB) access, and services for MTC access. AMF 162 can provide control plane functions for handover between RAN 113 and other RANs (not shown) that employ other radio technologies (such as LTE, LTE-A, LTE-A Pro) and / or non-3GPP access technologies (such as Wi-Fi).

[0057] SMFs 183a and 183b can connect to AMFs 182a and 182b in CN 115 via the N11 interface. SMFs 183a and 183b can also connect to UPFs 184a and 184b in CN 115 via the N4 interface. SMFs 183a and 183b can select and control UPFs 184a and 184b, and configure them to route traffic through UPFs 184a and 184b. SMFs 183a and 183b can perform other functions, such as managing and allocating UE IP addresses, managing PDU sessions, controlling policy enforcement and QoS, and providing downlink data notifications. PDU session types can be IP-based, non-IP-based, or Ethernet-based.

[0058] UPFs 184a and 184b can be connected via the N3 interface to one or more of the gNBs 180a, 180b, and 180c in RAN 113. These gNBs can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to packet-switched networks (such as the Internet 110), for example, to facilitate communication between WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c and IP-enabled devices. UPFs 184 and 184b can perform other functions such as routing and forwarding packets, enforcing user plane policies, supporting multi-homed PDU sessions, handling user plane QoS, buffering downlink packets, and providing mobility anchoring.

[0059] CN 115 can facilitate communication with other networks. For example, CN 115 may include or be able to communicate with an IP gateway (e.g., an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) server) that serves as an interface between CN 115 and PSTN 108. Additionally, CN 115 can provide WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c with access to other networks 112, which may include other wired and / or wireless networks owned and / or operated by other service providers. In an embodiment, WTRUs 102a, 102b, and 102c can be connected to DN 185a and 185b via UPF 184a and 184b through their N3 interfaces and the N6 interface between UPF 184a and 184b and local data networks (DNs) 185a and 185b.

[0060] Given Figures 1A to 1D and Figures 1A to 1D The corresponding description can be performed by one or more of the functions described herein with respect to any of the following: WTRU 102a to 102d, base stations 114a to 114b, eNode-B 160a to 160c, MME 162, SGW 164, PGW 166, gNB 180a to 180c, AMF 182a to 182b, UPF 184a to 184b, SMF 183a to 183b, DN 185a to 185b, and / or any other element / device described herein. A simulation device can be one or more devices configured to simulate one or more of the functions described herein. For example, a simulation device can be used to test other devices and / or simulate network and / or WTRU functions.

[0061] Simulation devices can be designed to perform one or more tests on other devices in laboratory and / or carrier network environments. For example, one or more simulation devices may perform one or more functions when fully or partially implemented and / or deployed as part of a wired and / or wireless communication network to test other devices within the communication network. One or more simulation devices may perform one or more functions when temporarily implemented / deployed as part of a wired and / or wireless communication network. Simulation devices may be directly coupled to another device for testing purposes and / or may use over-the-air wireless communication to perform tests.

[0062] One or more simulation devices may perform one or more functions without being implemented / deployed as part of a wired and / or wireless communication network. For example, a simulation device may be used to test test scenarios in a laboratory and / or undeployed (e.g., tested) wired and / or wireless communication networks to enable testing of one or more components. One or more simulation devices may be test equipment. The simulation device may transmit and / or receive data using direct RF coupling and / or wireless communication via an RF circuit system (e.g., which may include one or more antennas).

[0063] introduce While artificial intelligence (AI) (especially machine learning (ML)) can be a very powerful tool in a variety of devices, it should be understood that the resource (e.g., processing) requirements can be too great for devices with relatively limited resources. Such devices, referred to as UEs in this specification, can be end-user devices (especially mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets). For this reason, a common solution is to have one or more other devices perform at least a portion of the computation. It should be noted that in this context, "device" (also referred to as "node") can mean multiple devices operating as a whole, such as in the case of server groups and cloud computing.

[0064] In addition to being performed on a single device, for an AI / ML application, such as one that might be based on a deep neural network (DNN), AI / ML inference can thus be partitioned (i.e., segmented) at different points (e.g., from the UE to an edge device or a cloud device). For example, an AI / ML application can be segmented along the interface between two layers in a DNN, or between different parts, one of which (e.g., the part that detects facial features) can provide results as input to a later part (e.g., using the detected facial features as input to a person's emotion). Therefore, the corresponding AI / ML model (i.e., the computer program (e.g., trained, i.e., with appropriate parameters)) can be segmented into several subsets of AI / ML models to run on different devices / servers. Each subset of AI / ML models is a separate piece of software to run on a segmentation node, such as a UE, an edge device, a device in the cloud, or an access network.

[0065] Figure 2 Different examples of segmentation of AI / ML models are shown. Exemplary AI / ML models can be segmented in different ways. For example, segmentation model M can include a subset of the AI / ML model {M0, M1}. Similarly, segmentation model M' can include {M'0, M'1} and segmentation model M'' can include {M0'', M1'', M2''}. These three examples of segmentation models M, M', and M'' provide the same service and, as can be seen, can be segmented into different numbers of subsets. The boundaries between different subsets will be called segmentation points (segmentation points, partition points), which are indicated by an exemplary arrow in one instance. Similarly, another model M can include a subset of the AI / ML model {N0, N1}, while model N' can include {N'0, N'1, N'2}. Models M and N can have the same DNN layer composition and the same segmentation points, but they may differ, for example, in the weight values, bias values, or quantization levels of any input values ​​of neurons.

[0066] Furthermore, different subsets can run on different devices or are intended to run on different devices. Which device a subset runs on can depend on various conditions. Exemplary conditions include device capabilities, device load, and network load. Therefore, a particular subset (such as M0) can run on an edge device or on the UE.

[0067] When processing video sequences using a segmentation AI / ML model (i.e., a partitioned AI / ML process), a first device (e.g., a UE) can perform inference (e.g., individual inference) on a series of frames and transmit the resulting intermediate data along with additional information (e.g., segmentation point ID, sequence number, timestamp) to a second device (e.g., an edge device or an internet server).

[0068] An example message structure used to package data for exchange in AI / ML partitioned processes is: IntermediateDataWrapper: Struct IntermediateDataWrapper { int Model_RefID; # Model identifier bit ChangeOfSplitPoint; # 1 if the split point has changed from the previous message. IntSplitPointID; # Split point used by the UE int IntermediateDataLength; # Length of the intermediate data DimIntermediateDataDim; # Array dimension of intermediate data byteEncodingMethod; # Indicates whether the data is compressed and which compression algorithm is used. int SequenceNumber; # Sequence identifier for input data doubleTimeStamp; # Timestamp of intermediate data ByteIntermediateData[] # Intermediate data }; Therefore, the UE can perform inference on a given frame (e.g., frame i) up to a split point (i.e., up to a given AI / ML layer) and send the resulting intermediate data, along with additional intermediate data information, to the network-side device, for example, in a message in an intermediate data wrapper format. The network-side device receives the intermediate data corresponding to frame i and processes it using subsequent layers of the model (based on the split point identifier).

[0069] It should be noted that the split point may differ between frames and may change while processing frames. It should also be noted that the UE can process multiple frames [i, i+1, ..., i+k] simultaneously, as can the network (but usually not the same frames, because the network requires intermediate data from the UE).

[0070] Since different frames may have different segmentation points, a model with a first segmentation point (e.g., segmentation == 4) can be used to process the first frame, and a model with a first segmentation point (e.g., segmentation == 3) can be used to process subsequent frames. Depending on the priority settings, this change in segmentation point can be handled in different ways.

[0071] If the primary priority is not to lose frames, the UE can wait for the processing of frames in the current layer to finish. As an example, the UE has already output intermediate data corresponding to frame i+2 to the network device. When the UE is processing frames i+3 and i+4, it determines the change in the segmentation point (e.g., from 4 to 3). The UE processes the currently processed frame (i.e., performs inference on it) until the end and switches to the new segmentation point for subsequent frames.

[0072] If the primary priority is low latency, the UE can skip one or more frames being processed and use a new split point to begin processing subsequent frames. As an example, the UE sends intermediate data for frame i+2 to the network device, and the split point changes (e.g., from 4 to 3). This causes the UE to discard the currently processed frame (e.g., frame i+3) and use split point 3 to begin processing frame i+4.

[0073] Using timestamps, two methods for handling split-point changes can be combined. The UE sends intermediate data along with at least one of a timestamp and a sequence number, and whether to skip processing delayed frames depends on the network-side device, for example, based on the timestamp and / or the sequence number. As an example, the network device receives intermediate data for frame i+2 from the UE. If a split-point change occurs on a first device (e.g., from 4 to 3), the network device first receives intermediate data for frame i+4, and then receives intermediate data for frame i+3. The network device can then determine, for example, according to its policy, whether to skip frame i+3 or wait for its data, and arrange the intermediate data in the correct order.

[0074] As can be seen, metadata associated with intermediate data can be transmitted to enable dynamic segmentation processing, where the segmentation point can change over time. Processing of input data (e.g., video sequences, audio sequences, or haptic data) at the first device can change during processing based on the segmentation point, and intermediate data obtained for a given portion of the input data (e.g., video frames) can be transmitted to the second device before intermediate data obtained for a previous portion (e.g., chronologically preceding). Furthermore, using sequence numbers in the metadata associated with the intermediate data allows the second device to reorder the received intermediate data sequence (i.e., restore it to its original order).

[0075] However, the first device might decide to discard some previous frames to meet latency constraints. If the second device isn't informed of these discarded frames, this could cause the second device to wait for frames (used for reordering) that will never be received. This can lead to inconsistencies. For example, the second device might first receive intermediate data for frame i+2, and then receive intermediate data for frame i+4 (instead of the expected frame i+3). There are two possibilities: the intermediate data for frame i+3 will be received later, or it will never be received. Given these mutually exclusive possibilities, the second device might not be able to handle this situation appropriately.

[0076] At least, if the second device has a FIFO buffer with a capacity to receive intermediate data from n (e.g., three) frames, it may be necessary to wait until the buffer is full to determine if a given frame may have been dropped, which could lead to processing delays.

[0077] Overview According to an embodiment of this principle, a first device (transmitter) sends information to a second device (receiver) regarding discarded frames (e.g., after a segmentation point change). When a frame is discarded, the first device may transmit information indicating the discarded frame to the second device instead of intermediate data. The first device may also transmit information indicating that previous frames (or multiple frames) have been discarded, as well as intermediate data for subsequent frames, to the second device.

[0078] In a first embodiment, the first device sends information about a discarded frame, rather than the (expected) intermediate data of the frame, to the second device, which can then take appropriate action, such as reconsidering the order of the received metadata in light of the discarded frame. For example, if the second device has already received indications that frames 14 and 16 and frame 15 have been discarded, the second device can determine that frame 16 is a frame following frame 14 (not frame 15).

[0079] Information about one or more dropped frames can be sent in the message, which may include: Model Identifier: A unique identifier for an AI / ML model; Segmentation point identifier: A unique identifier for a segmentation point in the model; Sequence number: A sequence identifier for the input data (e.g., frame number); and Discard indication: Indicates whether the identified input data sequence (e.g., frame) has been discarded.

[0080] In the first variant, the metadata message may also include: Discard Sequence Number: The sequence identifier of the discarded frame. For example, the first variant can provide information if the "discard" message of a previous frame has not yet been sent or was lost in transmission.

[0081] In the second variant, the metadata message may include: Dropped Sequence List: A list of sequence numbers for all dropped frames.

[0082] An example of an adapt frame wrapper is presented in the attached appendix.

[0083] Figure 3 An example of a scenario according to the first embodiment is shown. In this scenario, because the segmentation point changes from layer L4 to layer L3, intermediate data associated with frame i+3 is not sent.

[0084] At time t0, the second device receives intermediate data and metadata corresponding to frame i+2.

[0085] During the processing of frame i+3, a split point occurs on the first device, changing from layer 4 to layer 3. Therefore, frame i+3 will be discarded by the first device, and the intermediate data will not be sent to the second device. Instead, at time t1, the first device sends a message to the second device notifying it that frame i+3 has been discarded.

[0086] The message may include: The sequence number of the discarded frame; The discard instruction set to "sequence discard"; Set IntermediateDataLength to 0; Set the SplitPoint to the current SplitPoint (e.g., L4); and Set to the NextSplitPoint that will be used for the next SplitPoint (e.g., L3) in the next frame.

[0087] Then, the first device processes frame i+4 and sends the obtained intermediate data to the second device at time t2.

[0088] Upon receiving the message, the second device knows that the sequence number (e.g., frame i+3) has been discarded and the next intermediate data will involve another layer (e.g., layer L3). Therefore, the second device can pre-manage memory by unloading a layer from memory (e.g., unloading L4 if the change on the transmitter side is from L3 to L4) or loading a new layer into memory (e.g., loading L4 if the change on the transmitter side is from L4 to L3). This pre-processing can help reduce latency at the second device.

[0089] This scenario may apply even if the split point has not changed, when the transmitter determines not to process a particular frame for any reason (e.g., when it cannot process all frames at a particular frame rate).

[0090] In a second embodiment, the first device sends information about the discarded frame along with intermediate data of at least one subsequent frame to the second device, which can then take appropriate action.

[0091] Information about discarded frames may include: Identifiers for AI / ML models; Identifier of the previous split point; The identifier of the current split point; The sequence number of the intermediate data; The number of sequences that were discarded; The sequence number of the discarded frame; Intermediate data for subsequent frames; and An encoding method used to encode intermediate data of frames that have not been dropped.

[0092] Figure 4 An example scenario of a second embodiment based on this principle is shown.

[0093] At time t0, the second device receives intermediate data and metadata related to frame i+2.

[0094] During the processing of frame i+3, a split point occurs on the first device, changing from layer 4 to layer 3. Therefore, the first device discards frame i+3, and thus this frame will not be sent to the second device.

[0095] The first device processes frame i+4 and sends the intermediate and metadata data of frame i+4, as well as information indicating that frame i+3 has been dropped, to the second device. This message may be sent together with NbSequenceDropped (set to 1) indicating that a previous frame has been dropped, and a list of dropped sequence numbers set to [frame i+3].

[0096] Upon receiving this information, the second device is informed that frame i+3 has been discarded and can then take appropriate action.

[0097] in conclusion As you will understand, this principle provides the receiver in a distributed AI / ML processing system with information about sequences (e.g., frames) that have been discarded by the transmitter. Therefore, there is no need to wait for intermediate data of expected but discarded frames, which avoids increasing latency in the system.

[0098] Although features and elements have been provided above in specific combinations, those skilled in the art will understand that each feature or element may be used alone or in any combination with other features and elements. This disclosure should not be limited to the specific embodiments described herein, which are intended to illustrate aspects. Many modifications and variations are possible without departing from their spirit and scope, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Any element, action, or instruction used in the description of this application should not be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless expressly provided so. In addition to those listed herein, functionally equivalent methods and apparatus within the scope of this disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art based on the foregoing description. Such modifications and variations are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. This disclosure is limited only by the terms of the appended claims and the full scope of equivalents legally enjoyed by such claims. It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the specific methods or systems described herein.

[0099] For simplicity, the foregoing embodiments are discussed in terms of the terminology and structure of devices with infrared capabilities (i.e., infrared transmitters and receivers). However, the embodiments discussed are not limited to these systems, but can be applied to other systems that use other forms of electromagnetic waves or non-electromagnetic waves (such as sound waves).

[0100] It will also be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the term "video" or the term "image" may mean any of a snapshot displayed over time, a single image, and / or multiple images. As another example, when referred to herein, the term "user equipment" and its abbreviation "UE," the term "remote," and / or the term "head-mounted display" or its abbreviation "HMD" may mean or include: (i) a wireless transmitting and / or receiving unit (WTRU); (ii) any of the many embodiments of a WTRU; (iii) a device with wireless and / or wired (e.g., tetherable) capabilities configured with some or all of the structure and functionality of a WTRU; (iv) a device with wireless and / or wired capabilities configured with fewer than all the structure and functionality of a WTRU; or (iv) a similar device. Figures 1A to 1D Details of an exemplary WTRU are provided, which may represent any WTRU described herein. As another example, this document... The above text and The following textThe embodiments disclosed herein are described using a head-mounted display. Those skilled in the art will recognize that devices other than head-mounted displays can be used, and some or all of the contents of this disclosure and the various disclosed embodiments can be modified accordingly without excessive experimentation. Examples of such other devices may include drones or other devices configured to stream information for providing an adaptive, realistic experience.

[0101] Furthermore, the methods described herein can be implemented in computer programs, software, or firmware incorporated into computer-readable media for execution by a computer or processor. Examples of computer-readable media include electronic signals (transmitted via a wired or wireless connection) and computer-readable storage media. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable storage media include, but are not limited to, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), registers, cache memory, semiconductor memory devices, magnetic media such as internal hard disks and removable disks, magneto-optical media, and optical media such as CD-ROM discs and digital multifunction disks (DVDs). The processor associated with the software can be used to implement a radio frequency transceiver for a WTRU, terminal, base station, RNC, or any host computer.

[0102] Variations of the methods, apparatus, and systems provided above are possible without departing from the scope of the invention. Given the wide variety of embodiments that can be applied, it should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the appended claims. For example, embodiments provided herein include handheld devices that may include or be used with any suitable voltage source (such as a battery) that provides any suitable voltage.

[0103] Furthermore, in the embodiments provided above, a processing platform, computing system, controller, and other means including a processor are mentioned. These means may include at least one central processing unit (“CPU”) and memory. According to the practice of those skilled in the art of computer programming, references to actions and symbolic representations of operations or instructions can be executed by various CPUs and memories. Such actions and operations or instructions may be referred to as being “executed,” “computer-executed,” or “CPU-executed.”

[0104] Those skilled in the art will understand that the actions and symbols representing operations or instructions include the CPU's manipulation of electrical signals. An electrical system represents a data bit that can cause a final conversion or reduction of an electrical signal and is maintained at a memory location in the storage system, thereby reconfiguring or otherwise altering the CPU's operation and other signal processing. The memory location maintaining the data bit is a physical location having specific electrical, magnetic, optical, or organic characteristics corresponding to or representing the data bit. It should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the platforms or CPUs described above, and other platforms and CPUs may support the provided methods.

[0105] Data bits can also be maintained on a computer-readable medium, including disks, optical disks, and any other CPU-readable volatile (e.g., random access memory (RAM)) or non-volatile (e.g., read-only memory (ROM)) mass storage system. The computer-readable medium can include cooperative or interconnected computer-readable media that exist solely on the processing system or are distributed among multiple interconnected processing systems that may be located locally on or remotely from the processing system. It should be understood that the embodiments are not limited to the aforementioned memories, and other platforms and memories may support the provided methods.

[0106] In exemplary embodiments, any operations, processes, etc., described herein may be implemented as computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. These computer-readable instructions may be executed by a processor of a mobile unit, network element, and / or any other computing device.

[0107] The differences between the hardware and software implementations of various aspects of the system are minor. The use of hardware or software typically (but not always, as the choice between hardware and software can become important in certain situations) represents a design choice that represents a cost-efficiency trade-off. Various vehicles (e.g., hardware, software, and / or firmware) may exist to implement the processes and / or systems and / or other technologies described herein, and the preferred vehicle may vary depending on the context in which the processes and / or systems and / or other technologies are deployed. For example, if the implementer determines that speed and accuracy are most important, then the implementer may choose the primary hardware and / or firmware vehicle. If flexibility is most important, then the implementer may choose the primary software implementation. Alternatively, the implementer may choose some combination of hardware, software, and / or firmware.

[0108] The foregoing detailed description has illustrated various embodiments of the apparatus and / or processes using block diagrams, flowcharts, and / or examples. Those skilled in the art will understand that each function and / or operation within such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples can be implemented individually and / or in combination by a wide range of hardware, software, firmware, or virtually any combination thereof, with respect to the inclusion of one or more functions and / or operations in such block diagrams, flowcharts, or examples. In embodiments, several portions of the subject matter described herein may be implemented via application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), digital signal processors (DSPs), and / or other integration formats. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that all or part of some aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein can be equivalently implemented in integrated circuits as one or more computer processes running on one or more computers (e.g., as one or more processes running on one or more computer systems), as one or more programs running on one or more processors (e.g., as one or more programs running on one or more microprocessors), as firmware, or virtually any combination thereof, and that designing circuit systems and / or writing code for software and / or firmware according to this disclosure will be entirely within the skill of those skilled in the art. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the mechanisms of the subject matter described herein can be distributed as process products in various forms, and the exemplary examples of the subject matter described herein apply regardless of the specific type of signal-bearing medium used for actual distribution. Examples of signal-bearing media include, but are not limited to, the following: recordable media, such as floppy disks, hard disk drives, CDs, DVDs, digital magnetic tapes, computer memory, etc.; and transmitting media, such as digital and / or analog communication media (e.g., fiber optic cables, waveguides, wired communication links, wireless communication links, etc.).

[0109] Those skilled in the art will recognize that it is common practice in the art to describe devices and / or processes in the manner set forth herein, and to integrate such described devices and / or processes into data processing systems using engineering practice in the context of this document. That is, at least a portion of the devices and / or processes described herein can be integrated into a data processing system through a reasonable number of experiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a typical data processing system generally includes one or more of the following: a system unit housing, a video display device, a memory such as volatile and non-volatile memory, a processor such as a microprocessor and a digital signal processor, a computing entity such as an operating system, drivers, a graphical user interface, and application processes, one or more interactive devices such as a touchpad or screen, and / or a control system including feedback loops and control motors (e.g., feedback for sensing position and / or speed; control motors for moving and / or adjusting the number and quantity of components). A typical data processing system can be implemented using any suitable commercially available components, such as those typically found in data computing / communication and / or network computing / communication systems.

[0110] The topics described herein sometimes illustrate different components included within or connected to different other components. It should be understood that such depicted architectures are merely examples, and many other architectures can actually be implemented to achieve the same functionality. Conceptually, any arrangement of components implementing the same function is actively “associated” to achieve the desired functionality. Therefore, any two components combined herein to achieve a particular function can be considered “associated” with each other to achieve the desired functionality regardless of the architecture or intermediate components. Similarly, any two such associated components can also be considered “operably connected” or “operably coupled” to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components that can be suchly associated can also be considered “operably coupled” to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of operably coupled components include (but are not limited to) physically matable and / or physically interacting components, and / or wirelessly interacting and / or logically interacting components.

[0111] Regarding the use of virtually any plural and / or singular terms in this document, those skilled in the art can convert plural to singular and / or singular to plural as appropriate to the context and / or application. For clarity, various singular / plural substitutions may be explicitly described herein.

[0112] Those skilled in the art will understand that, generally, the terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., the body of the appended claims), are intended to be largely "open-ended" terms (e.g., the term "comprising" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," the term "having" should be interpreted as "having at least," the term "including" should be interpreted as "including but not limited to," etc.). Those skilled in the art will further understand that if there is an intent to express a specific number of the introduced claims, then such intent will be explicitly stated in the claims, and without such a statement, such intent does not exist. For example, the term "single" or similar language may be used where the intent is only one item. To aid understanding, the appended claims and / or the description herein may include the use of the introductory phrases "at least one" and "one or more" to introduce the claims. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed as implying that a claim recitation introduced by the indefinite article "a" will include any particular claim recitation limited to an embodiment containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes indefinite articles such as the introductory phrase "one or more" or "at least one" (e.g., "a" should be interpreted as meaning "at least one" or "one or more"). The same applies to the use of definite articles used to introduce a claim recitation. Furthermore, even if a specific number of introduced claim recitations are explicitly stated, those skilled in the art will recognize that such a recitation should be interpreted as meaning at least the number recitations (e.g., simply stating "two recitations" without any other modifiers means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Moreover, in cases where conventions such as "at least one of A, B, and C" are used, in a sense, this construction is generally intended to be understood by those skilled in the art as a convention (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, and C" will include, but is not limited to, systems having only A, only B, only C, both A and B, both A and C, both B and C, and / or both A, B, and C). In cases where conventions such as "at least one of A, B, or C" are used, such a construction is generally intended to be understood by those skilled in the art (e.g., "a system having at least one of A, B, or C" will include, but is not limited to, systems having only A, only B, only C, both A and B, both A and C, both B and C, and / or both A, B, and C). Those skilled in the art will further understand that any transitional words and / or phrases that actually give two or more alternative terms (whether in the specification, claims, or drawings) should be understood to be intended to include the possibility of including one, any one, or both of these terms. For example, the phrase "A or B" will be understood to include the possibility of including "A" or "B" or "A and B".Furthermore, the term "any of the following" as used herein, followed by a list of multiple items and / or multiple categories of items, is intended to include "any of the following," "any combination of the following," "any many of the following," and / or "any combination of the following many," items alone or in combination with other items and / or items of other categories. Additionally, as used herein, the term "set" is intended to include any number of items, including zero. Furthermore, as used herein, the term "quantity" is intended to include any quantity, including zero. And as used herein, the term "many" is intended to be synonymous with "multiple."

[0113] Furthermore, when features or aspects of this disclosure are described in accordance with the Markush Group, those skilled in the art will recognize that this disclosure is also described in accordance with any individual member or subgroup member of the Markush Group.

[0114] As those skilled in the art will understand, for any and all purposes, such as providing a written description, all scopes disclosed herein also encompass any and all possible subscopes and combinations thereof. Any listed scope can be readily identified as sufficiently descriptive and such that the same scope can be decomposed into at least equal halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, tenths, etc. As a non-limiting example, each scope discussed herein can be readily decomposed into a lower third, a middle third, and an upper third, etc. Those skilled in the art will also understand that all language such as “up to,” “at least,” “greater than,” “less than,” etc., includes the listed numbers and refers to a scope that can subsequently be decomposed into subscopes as described above. Finally, as those skilled in the art will understand, a scope includes each individual member. Thus, for example, a group having 1 to 3 cells refers to a group having 1, 2, or 3 cells. Similarly, a group having 1 to 5 cells refers to a group having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 cells, and so on.

[0115] Furthermore, unless otherwise stated, the claims should not be construed as being limited to the order or elements provided. Additionally, the use of the term "for a means of..." in any claim is intended to invoke 35 USC §112, 6 or the means plus function claim format, and any claim without the term "for a means of..." does not have such an intent.

[0116] appendix A first example of a data wrapper in the first embodiment: IntermediateDataWrapper: Struct IntermediateDataWrapper { Int Model_RefID; # Model identifier bit ChangeOfSplitPoint; # 1 if the split point has changed from the previous message Int SplitPointID; # Split point used by the UE Int NextSplitpointID; # Next split point used by the UE (optional) Int IntermediateDataLength; # Length of the intermediate data Dim IntermediateDataDim; # Array dimensions of the intermediate data byte EncodingMethod; # Indicates whether the data is compressed and by which algorithm int SequenceNumber; # Sequence identifier of the input data Int Dropped indication; # 0: Sequence SequenceNumber has been processed; # 1: Sequence SequenceNumber has been dropped double TimeStamp; # Timestamp of the message Byte IntermediateData[] # Empty if the dropped indication is set to 1 }; Second example of a data wrapper for JSON-structured messages in the first embodiment: { "Model_RefID": <model identifier>, "ChangeOfSplitPoint": <1 if the split point has changed from the previous message, 0 otherwise>, "SplitPointID": "<split point used by the UE>", "NextSplitpointID": <next split point used by the UE (optional)>, "IntermediateDataLength": <length of the intermediate data>, "IntermediateDataDim": <array dimensions of the intermediate data>, "EncodingMethod": <indicates whether the data is compressed and by which algorithm>, "SequenceNumber": <sequence identifier of the input data>, "Dropped indication": <0: SequenceNumber was processed, 1: SequenceNumber was discarded> "TimeStamp": <timestamp of the message> "IntermediateData": <Intermediate data; empty if the discard indicator is set to 1> } Compared to the C-type structure, the JSON format is better able to adapt to the evolution of message content because new fields can be added without affecting the receiver. If the receiver conforms to the older JSON message structure, it will simply ignore the new fields; if the receiver is aware of the new message structure, it will manage the new fields correctly.

[0117] First example of the data wrapper in the second embodiment: IntermediateDataWrapper: Struct IntermediateDataWrapper { int Model_RefID; # Model identifier bit ChangeOfSplitPoint; # 1 if the split point has changed from the previous message. int SplitPointID; # Split point used by the UE Int NextSplitpointID; # The next split point used by the UE (optional) int IntermediateDataLength; # Length of the intermediate data Dim IntermediateDataDim; # Array dimension of intermediate data byte EncodingMethod; # Indicates whether the data is compressed and by which algorithm. int SequenceNumber; # Sequence identifier for input data int NbSequenceDropped; # The number of sequences that were dropped. List of Dropped Sequences; # A list of dropped sequences. double TimeStamp; # Timestamp of intermediate data Byte IntermediateData[] # Intermediate data }; In this example, the NbSequenceDropped field indicates the number of sequences that have been dropped since the previous message.

[0118] Second example of a data wrapper for JSON structured messages in the second embodiment: { "Model_RefID": <model identifier>, "ChangeOfSplitPoint": <1 if the split point has changed from the previous message, 0 otherwise>, "SplitPointID": "<split point used by the UE>", "NextSplitpointID": <next split point used by the UE (optional)>, "IntermediateDataLength": <length of the intermediate data>, "IntermediateDataDim": "<array dimension of the intermediate data>", "EncodingMethod": <indicates whether the data is compressed and by which algorithm>, "SequenceNumber": <sequence identifier of the input data>, "NbSequenceDropped": <number of dropped sequences>, "Dropped Sequence list": <list of dropped sequences>, "TimeStamp": <timestamp of the intermediate data>, "IntermediateData": <intermediate data> }

Claims

1. A first device comprising at least one hardware processor configured to: iteratively process portions of sequentially organized data up to an intermediate layer of a machine learning model having a plurality of layers to obtain corresponding intermediate data; determine not to process a subsequent portion of the sequentially organized data; and transmit, to a second device, information indicating that the subsequent portion has been discarded.

2. The first device of claim 1, wherein: the information indicating that the subsequent portion has been discarded is transmitted instead of corresponding intermediate data for the subsequent portion.

3. The first device of claim 1, wherein: the information indicating that the subsequent portion has been discarded is transmitted with corresponding intermediate data for at least one portion after the subsequent portion.

4. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the sequentially organized data is a series of video frames.

5. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the sequentially organized data represents audio data or haptic data.

6. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the first device determines not to process the subsequent portion after processing changes to a different intermediate layer.

7. The first apparatus of claim 1, wherein, the intermediate data is output for further processing by the second device using a subsequent layer of the machine learning model to obtain at least one of further intermediate data and a result.

8. A method performed in a first device and comprising: iteratively processing portions of sequentially organized data up to an intermediate layer of a machine learning model having a plurality of layers to obtain corresponding intermediate data; determining not to process a subsequent portion of the sequentially organized data; and transmitting, to a second device, information indicating that the subsequent portion has been discarded.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein: the information indicating that the subsequent portion has been discarded is transmitted instead of corresponding intermediate data for the subsequent portion.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein: the information indicating that the subsequent portion has been discarded is transmitted with corresponding intermediate data for at least one portion after the subsequent portion.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, the sequentially organized data is a series of video frames.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein, the sequentially organized data represents audio data or haptic data.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein, the first device determines not to process the subsequent portion after processing changes to a different intermediate layer.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising outputting the intermediate data for further processing by the second device using a subsequent layer of the machine learning model to obtain at least one of further intermediate data and a result.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program code instructions that, when executed by a processor, implement a method comprising: iteratively processing portions of sequentially organized data up to an intermediate layer of a machine learning model having a plurality of layers to obtain corresponding intermediate data; determining not to process a subsequent portion of the sequentially organized data; and transmitting, to a second device, information indicating that the subsequent portion has been discarded.

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