Method, device and system for ensuring orderliness of multiple transport blocks

Abstract

This disclosure describes methods, systems, and apparatus for ensuring multiple transport blocks (TBs) orderliness in wireless communications. A method includes a second network element receiving order information associated with a plurality of TBs from a first network element; the second network element receives a plurality of TBs from the first network element; and the second network element submits the received multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer in sequence according to the sequence information associated with the multiple TBs. Another method comprises: a first network element sending sequence information associated with a plurality of TBs to a second network element to instruct the second network element to sequentially submit the received TBs from a lower layer to an upper layer; and the first network element sends the plurality of TBs to the second network element.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to wireless communications. Specifically, this disclosure relates to methods, apparatus, and systems for ensuring the orderly execution of multiple transport blocks (TBs). Background Technology

[0002] Wireless communication technology is propelling the world towards an increasingly interconnected and networked society. High-speed, low-latency wireless communication relies on efficient network resource management and allocation between one or more user devices and one or more wireless access network nodes (including but not limited to base stations). Next-generation networks promise to provide high-speed, low-latency, and ultra-reliable communication capabilities, meeting the needs of various industries and users.

[0003] In some implementations, the transmission of multiple transport blocks (TBs) presents several issues / problems. For example, in some implementations, multiple TBs are out of order, causing the multiple TBs received by the receiver to be unable to be delivered in order from the lower layer to the upper layer. This disclosure describes various embodiments for ensuring the order of multiple TBs to address at least one of the issues / problems discussed above. The various embodiments in this disclosure can enhance the performance of Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and / or Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC), and / or provide new scenarios for ensuring TB order to meet the requirements of high bandwidth and low latency, thereby improving the field of wireless communication technology. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This document relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for wireless communication. More specifically, it relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for ensuring the ordered delivery of multiple transport blocks (TBs).

[0005] In one embodiment, this disclosure describes a method for ensuring the ordered distribution of multiple transport blocks (TBs) in wireless communication. The method includes: a second network element receiving order information associated with the multiple transport blocks (TBs) from a first network element; the second network element receiving the multiple transport blocks from the first network element; and the second network element sequentially delivering the received multiple transport blocks from a lower layer to an upper layer according to the order information associated with the multiple transport blocks.

[0006] In another embodiment, this disclosure describes a method for ensuring the ordered distribution of multiple transport blocks (TBs) in wireless communication. The method includes: a first network element sending order information associated with the multiple TBs to a second network element, instructing the second network element to sequentially deliver the received multiple TBs from a lower layer to an upper layer; and the first network element sending the multiple TBs to the second network element.

[0007] In another embodiment, this disclosure describes a method for ensuring the ordered distribution of multiple transport blocks (TBs) in wireless communication. The method includes: a third network element generating ordering information associated with the multiple TBs to instruct a second network element to deliver the multiple TBs sequentially from a lower layer to an upper layer; and the third network element sending the ordering information associated with the multiple TBs to a first network element.

[0008] In some other embodiments, an apparatus for wireless communication may include a memory storing instructions and processing circuitry communicating with the memory. The processing circuitry is configured to perform the methods described above when the processing circuitry executes the instructions.

[0009] In some other embodiments, a device for wireless communication may include a memory storing instructions and processing circuitry communicating with the memory. The processing circuitry is configured to perform the methods described above when the processing circuitry executes the instructions.

[0010] In some other embodiments, a computer-readable medium includes instructions. When a computer executes the instructions, the instructions cause the computer to perform the methods described above. The computer-readable medium includes a non-transitory computer-readable medium.

[0011] The above and other aspects and their embodiments are described in more detail in the accompanying drawings, description and claims. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 An example of a wireless communication system including a wireless network node and one or more user devices is shown.

[0013] Figure 2 An example of a network node is shown.

[0014] Figure 3 An example of a user device is shown.

[0015] Figure 4A A flowchart of an exemplary method for wireless communication is shown.

[0016] Figure 4B A flowchart of another exemplary method for wireless communication is shown.

[0017] Figure 4C A flowchart of yet another exemplary method for wireless communication is shown.

[0018] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment for wireless communication is shown.

[0019] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment for wireless communication is shown.

[0020] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of yet another exemplary embodiment for wireless communication is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0021] This disclosure will now be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this disclosure and illustrate specific examples of embodiments by way of illustration. However, it should be noted that this disclosure may be embodied in various different forms, and therefore the subject matter covered or claimed is intended to be construed as not being limited to any of the embodiments set forth below.

[0022] Throughout the specification and claims, terms may have suggestive or implied meanings in the context, in addition to their expressly stated meanings. Similarly, the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in some embodiments” as used herein do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, and the phrases “in another embodiment” or “in other embodiments” as used herein do not necessarily refer to different embodiments. For example, the claimed subject matter is intended to include, in whole or in part, exemplary embodiments or combinations of embodiments.

[0023] Generally, terms can be understood at least in part from their usage in context. For example, terms used herein, such as “and,” “or,” or “and / or,” can include a variety of meanings, which can depend at least in part on the context in which these terms are used. Typically, “or,” when used in a list of associations, such as A, B, or C, is intended to mean A, B, and C (here used in an inclusive sense) and A, B, or C (here used in an exclusive sense). Furthermore, the terms “one or more” or “at least one,” as used herein, can be used, at least in part on context, to describe any feature, structure, or characteristic in a singular sense, or to describe a combination of features, structures, or characteristics in a plural sense. Similarly, terms such as “a,” “an,” or “the” can also be understood to convey either a singular or a plural usage, at least in part on context. Furthermore, the terms “based on” or “determined by” can be understood as not necessarily intended to convey an exclusive set of factors, but rather to allow for additional factors that are not necessarily explicitly described, which, too, depends at least in part on the context.

[0024] In this disclosure, a "network element" may include one or more network nodes, one or more network functions, one or more network layers, one or more network devices, and / or one or more network entities. For example, a network element may be a Radio Access Network (RAN) node, the RAN's Radio Resource Control (RRC) layer, the RAN's Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, a Centralized Unit (CU), a Distributed Unit (DU), User Equipment (UE), or an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node.

[0025] This disclosure describes various methods and apparatus for ensuring the orderly arrangement of multiple transport blocks (TBs).

[0026] Next-generation (NG) mobile communication systems are propelling the world towards an increasingly interconnected and networked society. High-speed, low-latency wireless communication relies on efficient network resource management and allocation between one or more user devices and one or more wireless access network nodes (including but not limited to wireless base stations). NG networks promise to provide high-speed, low-latency, and ultra-reliable communication capabilities, meeting the needs of various industries and users.

[0027] With the rapid evolution of cellular mobile communication systems, an increasing number of applications are emerging in various commercial and / or service industries. Some services, such as holographic communication, industrial internet services, and immersive cloud extended reality (XR), require both ultra-high throughput and ultra-low latency. These services combine the characteristics of two scenarios involving high-performance, high-efficiency wireless networks: they not only have extremely high throughput requirements but also high latency requirements. For example, but not limited to, high-bandwidth, high-throughput, and low-latency scenarios may require reliable transmission of large amounts of data under low-latency requirements.

[0028] In some implementations, user data in a communication network can be divided into multiple small data packets (e.g., multiple TB) for transmission. Due to changes in the wireless environment, interference, and other factors, data packets may need to be retransmitted to meet performance requirements. However, retransmission may alter the order in which data packets arrive at the receiving end.

[0029] In some implementations, such as in 5th Generation (5G) systems, multiple Transport Units (TBs) can be used as time-domain transmission units for scheduled transmission at the Media Access Control (MAC) layer. At the transmitting end, application-layer service data streams can be processed by the MAC layer to form TBs, which can then be encoded and modulated by the physical layer before being transmitted through a physical channel. At the receiving end, each received TB can be independently decoded and fed back, and each successfully decoded TB can be independently submitted to the MAC layer.

[0030] In some implementations, data may be lost or corrupted during transmission due to multipath effects, channel fading, and interference in the wireless environment. To improve data reliability while ensuring data transmission efficiency, the MAC layer can use a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) mechanism for fast retransmission. In the HARQ mechanism, a HARQ process is responsible for transmitting TB data at the physical layer, and each TB can be assigned one available HARQ process. The receiver can receive TB data and send feedback information for that TB. When a TB is successfully received, the feedback information is an Acknowledgement (ACK). When a TB is not successfully received, the feedback information is a Negative Acknowledgement (NACK). When TB transmission fails, a HARQ retransmission is initiated. Therefore, even if multiple TBs are initially sent in order, they may still be out of order because earlier TBs may be retransmitted after later TBs. As a non-limiting example, the original order of multiple data points (TBs) is TB1 (first) and TB2 (later), meaning that for traffic purposes, TB1 should be delivered earlier than TB2. However, when TB1 is retransmitted due to a transmission failure, TB2 might be delivered before TB1, potentially causing out-of-order delivery of multiple TBs in the MAC layer. As another non-limiting example, out-of-order delivery of data in the MAC layer can also occur when different TBs have different transmission paths (e.g., handover causing different TBs to be sent from different base stations), or when there is network congestion (e.g., network congestion window adjustments, network jitter).

[0031] In some implementations, there are several issues / problems related to multiple TBs. For example, the MAC layer cannot ensure that multiple TBs are ordered, and data packets may become out of order after being transmitted over the air interface, which in turn leads to out-of-order data when delivered to the upper layer.

[0032] This disclosure describes various embodiments for ensuring the orderly transmission of multiple TBs, addressing at least one of the issues / problems discussed above. The various embodiments in this disclosure can enhance the performance of Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB) and / or Ultra Reliable Low Latency Communication (URLLC), and / or provide new scenarios for ensuring the orderly transmission of TBs to meet the demands of high bandwidth and low latency, thereby improving the field of wireless communication technology.

[0033] Figure 1 A wireless communication system 100 is illustrated, comprising a wireless network node 118 and one or more user equipments (UEs) 110. The wireless network node may include a network base station, which may be a Node B (NB, e.g., a Next Generation Node B (gNB)) in a mobile telecommunications context. Each UE may wirelessly communicate with the wireless network node via one or more radio channels 115 to enable uplink / downlink communication. For example, a first UE 110 may wirelessly communicate with the wireless network node 118 via a channel including multiple radio channels during a specific time period. The network base station 118 may send higher-layer signaling to the UE 110. The higher-layer signaling may include configuration information for communication between the UE and the base station. In one embodiment, the higher-layer signaling may include Radio Resource Control (RRC) messages.

[0034] Figure 2 An example of an electronic device 200 implementing a network base station is shown. This example electronic device 200 may include wireless transmit / receive (Tx / Rx) circuitry 208 for transmitting / receiving communications with a UE and / or other base stations. The electronic device 200 may also include network interface circuitry 209 (e.g., optical or wired interconnect, Ethernet, and / or other data transmission media / protocols) for communicating with other base stations and / or the core network. The electronic device 200 may optionally include an input / output (I / O) interface 206 for communication with operators, etc.

[0035] Electronic device 200 may also include system circuitry 204. System circuitry 204 may include one or more processors 221 and / or memory 222. Memory 222 may include operating system 224, instructions 226, and parameters 228. Instructions 226 may be configured for use by one or more processors of processors 124 to perform the functions of a network node. Parameters 228 may include parameters that support the execution of instructions 226. For example, parameters may include network protocol settings, bandwidth parameters, radio frequency mapping allocation, and / or other parameters.

[0036] Figure 3 An example of an electronic device implementing a terminal device 300 (e.g., a user equipment (UE)) is shown. The UE 300 may be a mobile device, such as a smartphone or a mobile communication module installed in a vehicle. The UE 300 may include a communication interface 302, system circuitry 304, input / output interfaces (I / O) 306, display circuitry 308, and storage device 309. The display circuitry may include a user interface 310. The system circuitry 304 may include any combination of hardware, software, firmware, or other logic / circuit. The system circuitry 304 may be implemented, for example, by one or more systems-on-chip (SoC), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), discrete analog and digital circuits, and other circuits. The system circuitry 304 may be part of an implementation of any desired functionality in the UE 300. In this regard, system circuitry 304 may include logic, for example, facilitating the decoding and playback of music and video (e.g., MP3, MP4, MPEG, AVI, FLAC, AC3, or WAV decoding and playback); running applications; accepting user input; saving and retrieving application data; establishing, maintaining, and terminating cellular phone calls or data connections (as an example, for internet connections); establishing, maintaining, and terminating wireless network connections, Bluetooth connections, or other connections; and displaying relevant information on user interface 310. User interface 310 and input / output (I / O) interface 306 may include a graphical user interface, a touch-sensitive display, haptic feedback or other haptic outputs, voice or facial recognition inputs, buttons, switches, speakers, and other user interface elements. Other examples of I / O interface 306 may include microphones, video and still image cameras, temperature sensors, vibration sensors, rotation and orientation sensors, headphone and microphone input / output jacks, Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectors, memory card slots, radiation sensors (e.g., infrared (IR) sensors), and other types of inputs.

[0037] See Figure 3The communication interface 302 may include radio frequency (RF) transmit (Tx) and receive (Rx) circuitry 316, which processes the transmission and reception of signals via one or more antennas 314. The communication interface 302 may include one or more transceivers. These transceivers may be wireless transceivers, including modulation / demodulation circuitry, digital-to-analog converters (DACs), shapers, analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), filters, waveform shapers, preamplifiers, power amplifiers, and / or other logic for transmission and reception via one or more antennas or (for some devices) via a physical (e.g., wired) medium. The transmitted and received signals may follow any of a variety of formats, protocols, modulations (e.g., Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), 16-QAM (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation), 64-QAM, or 256-QAM), channels, bit rates, and encodings. As a specific example, communication interface 302 may include a transceiver that supports transmission and reception under the following standards: 2nd Generation mobile communication technology (2G), 3rd Generation mobile communication technology (3G), Bluetooth (BT), Wireless Fidelity (WiFi), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High Speed ​​Packet Access (HSPA)+, 4th Generation mobile communication technology (4G) / Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5G standard, 6th Generation mobile communication technology (6G) standard, or any other telecommunications standard.However, the technologies described below, whether derived from the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) Association, 3GPP2, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), or other partners or standards bodies, are applicable to other wireless communication technologies.

[0038] See Figure 3 System circuitry 304 may include one or more processors 321 and memory 322. Memory 322 stores, for example, an operating system 324, instructions 326, and parameters 328. Processor 321 is configured to execute instructions 326 to implement the desired functions of UE 300. Parameters 328 can provide and specify configuration and operational options for instructions 326. Memory 322 may also store any BT data, WiFi data, 3G data, 4G data, 5G data, 6G data, or other data that UE 300 will send or has received via communication interface 302. In various embodiments, system power for UE 300 may be provided by power storage devices such as batteries or transformers.

[0039] This disclosure describes various embodiments for ensuring the ordered transmission of multiple transport blocks (TBs), which may be partially or wholly based on the above. Figure 2 and Figure 3 Implemented on the network base stations and / or user equipment described herein.

[0040] In various embodiments, the Media Access Control (MAC) layer can be responsible for scheduling, resource allocation, and HARQ process management of TB transmissions. One MAC Protocol Data Unit (PDU) corresponds to one TB in the physical layer. At the transmitting end, the MAC PDU is mapped to a TB and carried on the physical channel layer for transmission. At the receiving end, after successful decoding of the TB, it can be delivered to the MAC layer, and then to the upper layer. For the downlink (DL), each HARQ entity (e.g., a DL HARQ entity) has multiple parallel DL HARQ processes. For the uplink (UL), each HARQ entity (e.g., a UL HARQ entity) has multiple parallel UL HARQ processes. When the physical layer is not configured with spatial multiplexing, a HARQ process supports one TB. When the physical layer is configured with spatial multiplexing, a HARQ process supports one or two TBs. When transmitting two codeword streams using spatial multiplexing, one HARQ process can correspond to two TBs, and each codeword stream corresponds to one TB. In parallel HARQ processes, the propagation and transmission of data points (TBs) in different HARQ processes can be independent. There are no mandatory constraints on the order of multiple TBs. This means that the order of multiple received TBs is uncertain. Changes in the wireless environment can lead to TB data retransmission, resulting in out-of-order TB data. Out-of-order TB transmission can cause out-of-order data in upper layers.

[0041] In some implementations, for services with strict timing constraints on data packets (such as voice and video), out-of-order data packets can severely impact the user experience. This disclosure describes various embodiments for ensuring the order of multiple TBs, which can promptly perform order-preserving processing on TB data once it becomes out of order, thereby ensuring that the underlying data is delivered in order from the beginning.

[0042] This disclosure describes various embodiments for generating order information (i.e., TB order information) associated with multiple TBs when scheduling TB data. This TB order information can be used to indicate the order of multiple TBs at the receiving end and to deliver the multiple TBs to the upper layer. For a transmitter with scheduling capabilities, the TB transmitter generates the TB order information and sends it to the receiver to indicate the order of the received multiple TBs. For a transmitter without scheduling capabilities, the TB transmitter can first receive the TB order information and then send the TB data according to the indication of the received TB order information. This disclosure is applicable not only to traditional cellular scenarios (such as base station-UE scenarios) but also to device-to-device (D2D) scenarios, integrated access and backhaul (IAB) scenarios, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) scenarios, and other similar scenarios.

[0043] This disclosure describes various embodiments for ensuring the ordered transmission blocks (TBs) that at least address some of the problems / issues described above, such as how to generate and / or send order information associated with multiple TBs, and / or how to send / deliver multiple TBs in sequence according to the order information associated with them.

[0044] See Figure 4A This disclosure describes various embodiments of a method 400 for ensuring the ordered distribution of multiple transport blocks (TBs) in wireless communication. The method 400 may include some or all of the following steps: step 410, a second network element receives order information associated with multiple TBs from a first network element; step 412, the second network element receives multiple TBs from the first network element; and / or, step 414, the second network element sequentially delivers the received multiple TBs from a lower layer to an upper layer according to the order information associated with the multiple TBs.

[0045] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplifications, the sequence information associated with multiple TBs includes at least one of the following: TB Sequence Number (SN), TB Identifier (ID), TB Number, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) Process Number, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) Process Identifier (ID), TB Index in HARQ Process ID, Codeword Index, New Data Indicator (NDI), TB Group Number, TB SN in TB Group, Service ID, TB SN in Service ID, TB ID in Service ID, TB Number in Service ID, Bearer ID, TB SN in Bearer ID, TB ID in Bearer ID, TB Number in Bearer ID, TB ID corresponding to HARQ Entity, TB Number corresponding to HARQ Entity, and / or TB SN corresponding to HARQ Entity.

[0046] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, before the second network element sequentially delivers the received multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer according to the order information associated with the multiple TBs, the method further includes: the second network element sorting the received multiple TBs according to the order information associated with the multiple TBs.

[0047] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / embodiments, sorting multiple TBs according to order information associated with multiple TBs includes: sorting multiple TBs within a TB sorting window according to the order information associated with multiple TBs, wherein the TB sorting window contains a preset number of TBs.

[0048] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, the second network element determines whether to discard one or more TBs within the TB sorting window based on at least one of the following: the number of TBs that have failed to transmit within the TB sorting window is greater than a preset threshold, the sorting timer times out, and / or a new data indicator (NDI) is received in the order information.

[0049] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplifications, the second network element receives sequence information associated with multiple TBs from the first network element via Downlink Control Information (DCI). This sequence information includes at least one of the following: the sequence information is located in a single-level DCI; the sequence information is located in the first level of a two-level DCI; the sequence information is located in the second level of a two-level DCI; the sequence information is distributed across the first and second levels of a two-level DCI; the sequence information is the first level of a multi-level DCI; and / or, the sequence information is distributed across multiple levels of a multi-level DCI.

[0050] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, the first network element includes one of the following: a radio access network (RAN), a base station (BS), a scheduling unit, a user equipment (UE), an onboard unit (OBU), a roadside unit (RSU), an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, or a distributed unit (DU); and / or, the second network element includes one of the following: a UE, a RAN, a BS, an IAB node, an OBU, or an RSU.

[0051] See Figure 4B This disclosure describes various embodiments of a method 450 for ensuring the ordered delivery of multiple transport blocks (TBs) in wireless communication. The method 460 may include some or all of the following steps: step 460, a first network element sends order information associated with the multiple TBs to a second network element, instructing the second network element to sequentially deliver the received multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer; and / or, step 462, the first network element sends the multiple TBs to the second network element.

[0052] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplifications, the sequence information associated with multiple TBs includes at least one of the following: TB sequence number (SN), TB ID, TB number, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process number, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process identifier (ID), TB index in HARQ process ID, codeword index, NDI, TB group number, TB SN in TB group, service ID, TB SN in service ID, TB ID in service ID, TB number in service ID, bearer ID, TB SN in bearer ID, TB ID in bearer ID, TB number in bearer ID, TB ID corresponding to HARQ entity, TB number corresponding to HARQ entity, and / or TB SN corresponding to HARQ entity.

[0053] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, the method further includes: a first network element generating sequence information associated with multiple TBs to instruct a second network element to sequentially deliver the received multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer.

[0054] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, the method further includes: a first network element receiving sequence information associated with multiple TBs from a third network element to instruct a second network element to sequentially deliver the received multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer.

[0055] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, the method further includes: sorting multiple TBs within a TB sorting window according to order information associated with multiple TBs, wherein the TB sorting window contains a preset number of TBs; and / or, the first network element sends multiple TBs to the second network element in sequence.

[0056] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, the first network element determines whether to discard one or more TBs within the TB sorting window based on at least one of the following: the number of TBs that have failed to transmit within the TB sorting window is greater than a preset threshold, the sorting timer times out, and / or a new data indicator (NDI) is received in the order information.

[0057] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplifications, the first network element sends multiple TB of sequence information to the second network element via downlink control information (DCI). This sequence information includes at least one of the following: the sequence information is located in a single-level DCI; the sequence information is located in the first level of a two-level DCI; the sequence information is located in the second level of a two-level DCI; the sequence information is distributed across the first and second levels of a two-level DCI; the sequence information is the first level of a multi-level DCI; and / or, the sequence information is distributed across multiple levels of a multi-level DCI.

[0058] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplifications, the first-level DCI is a UE-level DCI and the second-level DCI is a TB-level DCI; the first-level DCI is a TB group-level DCI and the second-level DCI is a TB-level DCI; the first-level DCI is a static-level DCI and the second-level DCI is a dynamic-level DCI; and / or, the first-level DCI is a common-level DCI and the second-level DCI is a dedicated-level DCI.

[0059] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, the first network element includes one of the following: a radio access network (RAN), a base station (BS), a scheduling unit, a user equipment (UE), an on-board unit (OBU), a roadside unit (RSU), an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, or a distributed unit (DU); and / or, the second network element includes one of the following: a UE, a RAN, a BS, an IAB node, an OBU, or an RSU.

[0060] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplaries, the third network element includes one of the following: RAN, BS, scheduling unit, UE, OBU, RSU, IAB node, or DU.

[0061] See Figure 4C This disclosure describes various embodiments of a method 480 for ensuring the ordered distribution of multiple transport blocks (TBs) in wireless communication. The method 480 may include some or all of the following steps: step 490, a third network element generates order information associated with the multiple TBs to instruct a second network element to sequentially deliver the multiple TBs from a lower layer to an upper layer; and / or, step 492, the third network element sends the order information associated with the multiple TBs to a first network element.

[0062] In some implementations, in addition to some, all, or any combination of the above implementations / exemplifications, the first network element includes one of the following: a radio access network (RAN), a base station (BS), a user equipment (UE), an on-board unit (OBU), a roadside unit (RSU), an integrated access and backhaul (IAB) node, or a distributed unit (DU); the second network element includes one of the following: a UE, a RAN, a BS, an IAB node, an OBU, or an RSU; and / or, the third network element includes one of the following: a RAN, a BS, a scheduling unit, a UE, an OBU, an RSU, an IAB node, or a DU.

[0063] This disclosure describes various embodiments for ensuring the ordering of multiple transport blocks (TBs), which at least address some of the problems / issues mentioned above, such as how to generate and / or send order information associated with multiple TBs, and / or how to send / order multiple TBs based on the order information associated with multiple TBs.

[0064] Example Set 1 In some embodiments, for downlink data transmission, the base station performs downlink scheduling based on downlink (DL) scheduling information and sends TB data to the terminal. During DL scheduling, the base station generates DL order information associated with multiple DL TBs. After receiving the DL order information associated with multiple DL TBs, the terminal knows how to deliver the received TBs to the upper layer in order. For reference... Figure 5 In some implementations, a method 500 for a downlink can be performed according to some or all of the following steps.

[0065] Step 510: While sending the data packet corresponding to the TB to the UE, the base station also sends DL order information (e.g., the SN of the TB) associated with multiple DL TBs. The DL order information associated with multiple DL TBs (i.e., DL TB sorting information) indicates the order relationship between this TB and other TBs in the DL data stream. The DL order information associated with multiple DL TBs can be sent together with downlink scheduling information in a DCI message. Alternatively, the DL order information associated with multiple DL TBs can be sent separately in a dedicated control information message or a DL data channel.

[0066] Step 520: The terminal receives the DL TB data to be decoded and the DL order information associated with multiple DL TBs. The DL order information associated with multiple DL TBs may include HARQ IDs and codeword index numbers. Furthermore, earlier TB data corresponds to smaller HARQ IDs. In spatial multiplexing scenarios, the two codeword streams of two TBs correspond to the same HARQ process, and the earlier TB data corresponds to the codeword with the smaller index number.

[0067] Step 530: After successfully receiving multiple TBs, the terminal delivers the correct TB data to the upper layer in sequence according to the DL order information associated with the multiple DL TBs. For example, based on the TB SN, the TB with the smaller TB SN will be delivered earlier. For example, when using HARQ ID and codeword index as DL TB sorting information, the terminal can consider the TB in the process with the smaller HARQ ID to be the earlier TB. Within the same HARQ process, the TB with codeword index 1 can be earlier than the TB with codeword index 2. The received TB data is delivered in order, thus ensuring that the data in any upper layer is ordered.

[0068] Example Set Two In some embodiments, sequence information for multiple TBs can be generated and sent. Optionally, the sequence information for multiple TBs can also correspond to a service type, bearer, or HARQ entity. TB sequence information can be a global sequence number or a local sequence number. When the TB sequence information is a global sequence number, it corresponds to the user's absolute TB SN value. When the TB sequence information is a local sequence number, it can be a relative sequence index corresponding to a bearer, a service, an entity, a TB group, or a HARQ process.

[0069] TB sequence information can be one of the following: TB group sequence number, TB sequence number within TB group, codeword sequence number (e.g., codeword index), HARQ process number (e.g., HARQ ID), service ID, TB index under service ID, traffic ID, bearer ID, TB index under the same bearer ID, multiple TB indexes under the same HARQ entity, or a combination of the above.

[0070] As a non-limiting example, sequence information can be generated in one or more of the following ways.

[0071] (1) Separate serial number (SN) used for sequential indication When performing TB scheduling, the base station generates a dedicated TB number (e.g., TB SN) for each TB and sends this dedicated TB number (TB SN) to the terminal. Upon receiving the TB SN, the terminal determines the order of the received TBs based on the TB SN. In the event of a HARQ retransmission, this method allows the terminal to quickly select the first successfully received TB and deliver it rapidly. Simultaneously, the base station can also quickly select earlier retransmitted TBs based on the TB SN for special processing. For example, this special processing may involve adjusting and optimizing the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) of the selected TB. The earlier TBs can be decoded and delivered quickly and successfully, which is highly advantageous for low-latency, high-reliability services such as XR.

[0072] (2) Sort TB according to different HARQ ID instructions For single-codeword stream transmission, each HARQ process transmits only one TB, and the HARQ ID can be directly used as an indicator of TB order. For example, when there are 16 HARQ processes, the HARQ IDs are 0, 2, ..., 15. The order of multiple TBs is related to the HARQ ID. The TB corresponding to HARQ ID 1 (HARQ ID1) is earlier than the TB corresponding to HARQ ID 2 (HARQ ID2). In some implementations, the 16 HARQ processes can be considered as a TB sorting window, within which multiple TBs are sorted based on their HARQ IDs.

[0073] Furthermore, HARQ ID and New Data Indicator (NDI) can jointly indicate TB order information (i.e., the order information associated with multiple TBs). In 4G / 5G, NDI can be used to indicate whether data is new data. Each HARQ process stores an NDI value, which uses 1 bit to indicate whether the scheduled data is new or retransmitted. When the NDI value of the same HARQ process changes compared to the previous one (NDI flips), it indicates that the current transmission is the initial transmission of a new TB; otherwise (NDI does not flip), it indicates that the current transmission is a retransmission of the same TB. Because there are TB retransmissions in the previous HARQ process, even if a TB in a subsequent HARQ process is successfully decoded, it cannot be submitted upwards. When a TB in a certain HARQ process continues to fail to retransmit, multiple subsequent TBs will not be submitted in order. In addition, ACK feedback failures may cause correct TBs to be retransmitted unnecessarily. Using NDI to indicate the discarding of failed TBs can avoid excessive waiting and unnecessary ordering problems for multiple subsequent TBs. For example, when the maximum number of retransmissions is reached, an NDI flip can be triggered to discard a TB and deliver subsequent TBs to the upper layer in order. NDI can also be used independently as TB order information to indicate TB ordering and discarding.

[0074] (3) HARQ ID and TB index number as TB order As a reference Figure 6 In a non-limiting example, three TBs are transmitted over a period of time across two HARQ processes. For this service, the data is transmitted in the following order: TB1 first, then TB2, and finally TB3. The HARQ ID is the process number of the HARQ process. The process number of HARQ ID1 (e.g., HARQ ID 1) is less than the process number of HARQ ID2 (e.g., HARQ ID 2). When filling TBs of data into the HARQ processes, the order of the TBs is bound to their HARQ process numbers. The TBs corresponding to the smaller HARQ process number are filled first, followed by the TBs corresponding to the larger HARQ process number.

[0075] When multiple data points (TBs) are transmitted under a single HARQ process, the order of these TBs within the HARQ process can be used to indicate their order using TB indices. For example, in the transmission of a two-codeword (CW) stream (two codewords), a HARQ process transmits two TBs. The codeword stream indices can be used as indicators of the TB order. For instance, in the HARQ process with HARQ ID1, TB1 and TB2 transmit two codeword streams. TB1 corresponds to codeword index CW1 (e.g., CW index 1), and TB2 corresponds to codeword index CW2 (e.g., CW index 2); TB3 corresponds to a single-codeword stream transmission in HARQ ID2, and TB3 corresponds to codeword index CW1 (e.g., CW index 1). Based on the HARQ ID and codeword indices, the order of multiple TBs can be clearly defined, allowing multiple TBs to be delivered sequentially upwards.

[0076] (4) TB order in the case of no retransmission For real-time services with low latency requirements, such as voice, real-time control, and real-time gaming, retransmission is unnecessary. Without HARQ retransmission, data will be sent and received in order. However, in spatial multiplexing scenarios, it is necessary to distinguish the TB order of the two codewords in a dual codeword stream. Codeword indices can be used to indicate the TB order. As a non-restrictive example, when TB1 and TB2 are sent simultaneously during spatial multiplexing, in the service, TB1 with CW index 1 is earlier than TB2 with CW index 2.

[0077] (5) The TB group number and the TB number in the TB group are used as TB sequence information. In TB group scheduling, the TB group number and the TB numbers within the TB group can be used to jointly indicate the TB order. The TB group number indicates the order of different TB groups, while the TB number indicates the order of multiple TBs within the same TB group.

[0078] As a non-restrictive example, see [reference] Figure 7 In TB group scheduling, a HARQ process corresponds to multiple TB groups, and each TB group has multiple TBs. Within this HARQ process, the TB group number and the TB numbers within that TB group need to be combined to determine the order of each TB within all TBs. For example, a HARQ process might have two TB groups, each with three TBs. These six TBs are sequentially arranged as TB1, TB2, ..., TB6. TB1 to TB3 belong to TB group 1, and TB4 to TB6 also belong to TB group 1.

[0079] In spatial multiplexing scenarios, due to the transmission of dual codeword streams, it is necessary to consider the TB group number, the TB number within the TB group, and the codeword number in the same HARQ process.

[0080] When multiple HARQ processes exist, the TB order of different HARQ processes should also be considered.

[0081] Therefore, TB sequence information can be one of the following: TB group number, TB number within the TB group, codeword number (e.g., codeword index), HARQ process number (e.g., HARQ ID), or a combination thereof.

[0082] In some implementations, TB groups can correspond to different service types or different data bearers. If there is no order requirement between TB groups, then only multiple TBs within a TB group need to be submitted in sequence. For example, when different TB groups correspond to different services, the requirement for TBs to be submitted to the upper layer in sequence is limited to within one TB group.

[0083] Example Set 3 In some embodiments, the sequence information of the TB can be sent in a variety of ways. As a non-limiting example, the sequence information of the TB can be sent via a downlink control information (DCI) message. In 5G New Radio (NR), the DCI is carried on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).

[0084] In some implementations, the DCI is used to provide uplink and downlink physical layer resource allocation, power control commands, HARQ, and other information about the wireless network to the terminal (e.g., UE). Sending TB sequence information in the DCI can establish a close relationship between TB transmissions and TB sequence information.

[0085] For example, a TB SN field can be added to the DCI to indicate the order of multiple TBs. The number of bits occupied by the TB SN field determines the maximum TB order that can be indicated. For example, when using 3 bits to indicate the TB SN, this means that a maximum of 8 TBs can be transmitted in sequence at one time within a window.

[0086] In some implementations, HARQ IDs are used in DCI to indicate the order of multiple TBs.

[0087] In some implementations, HARQ ID and codeword index are used in DCI to jointly indicate the order of multiple TBs.

[0088] In some implementations, the HARQ ID and TB index under the same HARQ process are used in the DCI to jointly indicate the order of multiple TBs.

[0089] In some implementations, HARQ ID and NDI are used in DCI to jointly indicate the order of multiple TBs.

[0090] In some implementations, the DCI uses a TB group index and a TB index within the TB group to jointly indicate the order of multiple TBs.

[0091] In some implementations, single-level DCI, two-level DCI, or multi-level DCI can be used. In single-level DCI, all DCI content is transmitted on a single control channel (e.g., NR PDCCH). In two-level or multi-level DCI, the first-level DCI is transmitted on a control channel (e.g., NR PDCCH1), while the second-level or higher-level DCI content is transmitted on one or more separate channels. The channel carrying the second-level or higher-level DCI can be an additional control channel (e.g., NR PDCCH2) or a data channel. Base stations can use single-level DCI, two-level DCI, or multi-level DCI to transmit sequence information associated with multiple TBs.

[0092] In some implementations, the first-level DCI is the UE-level DCI, and the second-level DCI is the TB-level DCI. TB sequence information is included in the TB-level DCI.

[0093] In some implementations, the first-level DCI is a TB group-level DCI, which contains the order information of the TB group. The second-level DCI is a TB-level DCI, which contains the order information of multiple TBs within a TB group. The TB order information is obtained by combining the TB group order information and the order information of the TBs within the TB group.

[0094] In some implementations, the first-level DCI is a static DCI, and the second-level DCI is a dynamic DCI, with the TB sequence information included in the dynamic DCI.

[0095] In some implementations, the first-level DCI is a static DCI, and the second-level DCI is a dynamic DCI. TB order information is included in both the static and dynamic DCIs. The TB order information is obtained jointly based on the static and dynamic DCI order information.

[0096] In some implementations, the first-level DCI is a public DCI, and the second-level DCI is a dedicated DCI, with the TB sequence information contained in the dedicated DCI.

[0097] In some implementations, the first layer is a public DCI and the second layer is a private DCI. TB sequence information is contained in both the public and private DCIs, and the TB sequence information is jointly indicated by the public DCI sequence information and the private DCI sequence information.

[0098] In some implementations, under a multi-level DCI, TB order information is contained in one level of the DCI or distributed across multiple levels of the DCI. The TB order information is jointly indicated by multiple levels of the DCI.

[0099] In other embodiments, uplink TB sequence information can be transmitted via DCI or Uplink Control Information (UCI). When uplink TB sequence information is transmitted via UCI, it can be transmitted via PUCCH or the Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH). For example, the UE sends TB data to the base station and also sends the uplink TB sequence information from the UCI to the base station, instructing the base station to deliver the received TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer in sequence.

[0100] Example Set 4 In some embodiments, for D2D, there is communication between UE1 and UE2. When the base station is responsible for scheduling, since UE2 is outside the base station's coverage area, the base station generates TB sequence information for the UE2 link and sends it to UE1. Then UE1 sends the TB sequence information for UE2 to UE2. In the case of autonomous scheduling by UE1, UE1 generates TB sequence information for the UE2 link and sends it to UE2.

[0101] In some embodiments, for IAB scenarios, multi-hop communication exists between IAB nodes. When the base station is responsible for scheduling, it generates TB order information and sends it to the corresponding IAB node. When an IAB node has scheduling capabilities, it generates TB order information and sends it to the peer of the multi-hop IAB node or the UE.

[0102] In some embodiments, a base station (BS1) generates sequence information associated with multiple TBs and sends it to another base station (BS2). BS2 then sends the sequence information associated with the multiple TBs to the terminal.

[0103] This disclosure describes methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media for wireless communication. This disclosure addresses multiple TB sorting problems. The methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media described in this disclosure can improve the performance of wireless communication, thereby increasing efficiency and overall performance. The methods, apparatus, and computer-readable media described in this disclosure can improve the overall efficiency of wireless communication systems.

[0104] In some other embodiments, a computer-readable medium includes instructions. When a computer executes the instructions, the instructions cause the computer to perform the methods described above. The computer-readable medium may be referred to as a non-transitory computer-readable media (CRM), which can store data for a longer period of time, such as a flash drive or compact disk (CD); or, it can store data for a short period of time when powered on, such as a storage device or random access memory (RAM). In some embodiments, computer-readable instructions may be included in software embodied in one or more tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media. Such a non-transitory computer-readable medium may be a medium associated with a user-accessible mass storage device, or a medium associated with certain short-term storage devices (e.g., internal mass storage or read-only memory (ROM)) having non-transitory characteristics. Software implementing various embodiments of this disclosure may be stored in such a device and executed by a processor (or processing circuitry). Depending on specific needs, the computer-readable medium may include one or more storage devices or chips. Software can enable processors (including central processing units (CPUs), graphics processing units (GPUs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), etc.) to perform a particular process or a particular part of a particular process as described herein, including defining data structures stored in RAM and modifying such data structures according to a software-defined process.

[0105] References to features, advantages, or similar language throughout this specification do not imply that all features and advantages achievable using this solution should be included in any single implementation thereof. Rather, references to such features and advantages are to be understood as meaning that a particular feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of this solution. Therefore, throughout this specification, discussions of features and advantages and similar language may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

[0106] Furthermore, the features, advantages, and characteristics described in this solution can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. As a non-limiting example, a portion of one or more embodiments can be combined with another portion of other embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize from the description herein that this solution can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages that may not be present in all embodiments of this solution may be recognized in certain embodiments.

Claims

1. A method for ensuring the ordered distribution of multiple transport blocks (TB) in wireless communication, comprising: The second network element receives sequence information associated with multiple TBs from the first network element; The second network element receives the plurality of TBs from the first network element; as well as The second network element delivers the received multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer in sequence according to the order information associated with the multiple TBs.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, The sequence information associated with the plurality of TBs includes at least one of the following: TB sequence number SN, TB identifier ID, TB number, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process number, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process ID, TB index in HARQ process ID, codeword index, New Data Indicator (NDI), TB group number, TB SN in TB group, service ID, TB SN in service ID, TB ID in service ID, TB number in service ID, bearer ID, TB SN in bearer ID, TB ID in bearer ID, TB number in bearer ID, TB ID corresponding to HARQ entity, TB number corresponding to HARQ entity, and / or TB SN corresponding to HARQ entity.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, Before the second network element sequentially delivers the received multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer according to the order information associated with the multiple TBs, the method further includes: The second network element sorts the received multiple TBs according to the order information associated with the multiple TBs.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, The step of sorting the plurality of TBs according to the order information associated with them includes: The multiple TBs within the TB sorting window are sorted according to the order information associated with them; wherein the TB sorting window contains a preset number of TBs.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein, The second network element determines whether to discard one or more TBs within the TB sorting window based on at least one of the following: The number of TBs that failed to transmit within the TB sorting window is greater than a preset threshold. The sort timer timed out; or The reversed NDI is received in the sequence information.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The second network element receives sequence information associated with the plurality of TBs from the first network element via downlink control information (DCI), the sequence information including at least one of the following: The sequence information is located in a single-level DCI; The sequence information is located in the first level of the two-level DCI; The sequence information is located in the second level of the two-level DCI; The sequence information is distributed in the first-level DCI and the second-level DCI of the two-level DCI; The sequence information is the first level of a multi-level DCI; or The sequence information is distributed across multiple levels of the multi-level DCI.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The first network element includes one of the following: Radio Access Network (RAN), Base Station (BS), Scheduling Unit, User Equipment (UE), On-Board Unit (OBU), Roadside Unit (RSU), Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node, or Distributed Unit (DU); and The second network element includes one of the following: UE, RAN, BS, IAB node, OBU, or RSU.

8. A method for ensuring the ordered distribution of multiple transport blocks (TB) in wireless communication, comprising: The first network element sends sequence information associated with multiple TBs to the second network element, instructing the second network element to deliver the received multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer in sequence; as well as The first network element sends the multiple TBs to the second network element.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein, The sequence information associated with the plurality of TBs includes at least one of the following: TB sequence number SN, TB identifier ID, TB number, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process number, Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) process ID, TB index in HARQ process ID, codeword index, New Data Indicator (NDI), TB group number, TB SN in TB group, service ID, TB SN in service ID, TB ID in service ID, TB number in service ID, bearer ID, TB SN in bearer ID, TB ID in bearer ID, TB number in bearer ID, TB ID corresponding to HARQ entity, TB number corresponding to HARQ entity, and / or TB SN corresponding to HARQ entity.

10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising: The first network element generates sequence information associated with the plurality of TBs to instruct the second network element to deliver the received plurality of TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer in sequence.

11. The method according to claim 8 or 9, further comprising: The first network element receives sequence information associated with the plurality of TBs from the third network element, instructing the second network element to deliver the received plurality of TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer in sequence.

12. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, further comprising: Based on the order information associated with the plurality of TBs, the plurality of TBs within the TB sorting window are sorted; wherein the TB sorting window contains a preset number of TBs; and The first network element sends the multiple TBs to the second network element in sequence.

13. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, wherein, The first network element determines whether to discard one or more TBs within the TB sorting window based on at least one of the following: The number of TBs that failed to transmit within the TB sorting window is greater than a preset threshold. The sort timer timed out; or The reversed NDI is received in the sequence information.

14. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein, The first network element sends the sequence information of the plurality of TBs to the second network element through downlink control information (DCI), wherein the sequence information includes at least one of the following: The sequence information is located in a single-level DCI; The sequence information is located in the first level of the two-level DCI; The sequence information is located in the second level of the two-level DCI; The sequence information is distributed in the first-level DCI and the second-level DCI of the two-level DCI; The sequence information is the first level of a multi-level DCI; or The sequence information is distributed across multiple levels of the multi-level DCI.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein, The first level DCI is the user equipment (UE) level DCI, and the second level DCI is the TB level DCI; The first-level DCI is a TB-level DCI, and the second-level DCI is a TB-level DCI; The first level DCI is a static level DCI, and the second level DCI is a dynamic level DCI, or The first-level DCI is a public-level DCI, and the second-level DCI is a private-level DCI.

16. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 14, wherein, The first network element includes one of the following: Radio Access Network (RAN), Base Station (BS), Scheduling Unit (UE), On-Board Unit (OBU), Roadside Unit (RSU), Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node, or Distributed Unit (DU); and The second network element includes one of the following: UE, RAN, BS, IAB node, OBU, or RSU.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The third network element includes one of the following: RAN, BS, scheduling unit, UE, OBU, RSU, IAB node, or DU.

18. A method for ensuring the ordered distribution of multiple transport blocks (TB) in wireless communication, comprising: The third network element generates sequence information associated with multiple TBs to instruct the second network element to deliver the multiple TBs from the lower layer to the upper layer in sequence; as well as The third network element sends sequence information associated with the multiple TBs to the first network element.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein, The first network element includes one of the following: Radio Access Network (RAN), Base Station (BS), User Equipment (UE), On-Board Unit (OBU), Roadside Unit (RSU), Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node, or Distributed Unit (DU). The second network element includes one of the following: UE, RAN, BS, IAB node, OBU, or RSU; and The third network element includes one of the following: RAN, BS, scheduling unit, UE, OBU, RSU, IAB node, or DU.

20. A wireless communication device, comprising a processor and a memory, wherein, The processor is configured to read code from the memory and implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. A non-transitory computer program product comprising computer-readable program medium code stored thereon, the computer-readable program medium code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement the method according to any one of claims 1 to 19.

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