A method of transmission in a telecommunications network

Abstract

An efficient method SDUs for transmission in a telecommunication network for use by a transmission device in a wireless communication system. A plurality of service data units (SDUs) are received from

Description

The present invention relates to a method of transmitting data in a telecommunication network, particularly, but not exclusively a wireless network, such as a cellular network. In particular, the invention relates to a means to improve the rate of data processing, provide greater support for Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI / ML) tools and to enhance security protections applied to data in the network. In the Fifth Generation (5G) or New Radio (NR) telecommunication system, data flow between the User Equipment (UE), also known as a mobile station or terminal, and the g Node B (gNB) or base station, is split between a User Plane (UP) and a Control Plane (CP). The UP carries the network user traffic. The CP includes the Radio Resource Control layer (RRC) which is responsible for configuring the lower layers. Figures 1 and 2 show the well-known prior art protocol stack model, each comprising several layers, for the CP and UP, respectively. Figure 1, additionally, shows the Non-Access Stratum (NAS) connection between the UE and the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF) of the network. A particular problem associated with prior art systems concerns the speed of data throughput. In particular, evolutions in telecommunications standards require a far greater throughput of data, which prior art systems are not generally able to offer. Combined with the need to improve security protection and support AI / ML, there is a need to greatly increase the speed of data throughput. It is an aim of embodiments of the present invention to address one or more shortcomings in the prior art, whether mentioned herein or not. According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus and method as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the description which follows. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for use by a transmission device in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving, from an upper layer, a plurality of service data units, SDUs; generating concatenated data by concatenating the plurality of SDUs before performing at least one procedure among an integrity protection procedure and a ciphering procedure for the concatenated data; and transmitting, to a reception device through a lower layer, data for which the at least one procedure has been performed, at a packet data convergence protocol, PDCP, layer, wherein common security key information for performing the at least one procedure is applied to the SDUs included in the concatenated data. In an embodiment, the generating of the concatenated data comprises: generating a field including information related to the concatenation of the SDUs; and including the field in a header with the concatenated SDUs in the generated concatenated data. In an embodiment, the concatenated data is generated in a layer above a Service Data Adaptation Protocol, SDAP, layer or a PDCP layer, and wherein the concatenation is performed based on a quality of service, QoS, flow identifier, QFI, corresponding to an SDU. In an embodiment, data from a particular Quality of Service flow is categorised as either data to be used as training data for training an Al model or not. In an embodiment, both the data categorised as training data and the data not so categorised forms part of User Plane, UP, data. In an embodiment, data arriving at or departing from an SDAP layer, a Tx and Rx layer respectively, is only partially protected. In an embodiment, security protection in a PDCP layer is de-configured or disabled. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus arranged to perform the method of the first aspect. In an embodiment, the apparatus comprises a base station, gNB, and a User Equipment, UE, communicatively connected. Although a few preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims. For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a prior art Control Plane Protocol Stack; Figure 2 shows a prior art User Plane Protocol Stack; Figure 3 shows a User Plane protocol stack illustrating an embodiment of the invention; Figure 4 shows a prior art data processing function in the User Plane; Figure 5 shows a data processing function in the User Plane according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 shows a prior art data classification function in the User Plane; Figure 7 shows a data classification function in the User Plane according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 shows a prior art data security operation in the User Plane; Figure 9 shows a selectively applied security protection operation in the User Plane according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 10 shows an overview of a protocol stack in the User Plane according to an embodiment of the invention; and Figures 11 (a) and (b) show a packetization process according to, respectively, the prior art and an embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 shows a modified version of the protocol stack model for UP, originally shown in Figure 2. Here, a new layer is shown located above the Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer. Such a layer is useful in connection with adaptations proposed or adopted in the Sixth Generation (6G) standard which supersedes 5G and, at the time of writing, is still being finalised. The SDAP layer is responsible for mapping between a quality-of-service (QoS) flow from the 5G core network and a data radio bearer (DRB), as well as marking the quality-of-service flow identifier (QFI) in uplink and downlink packets. Figure 3 also identifies SDAP, PDCP, RLC and MAC layers as possible candidates for optimisation as well as or instead of the new layer arranged above SDAP. Amongst the requirements of the new 6G standard are: a higher data rate than is possible in 5G, enhanced security of data and the ability to support increased usage of Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning (AI / ML). Possible areas which can benefit from AI / ML applications in 6G include: Air interface and transmission technologies, e.g. new waveforms; Multiple access; Channel coding; Massive Multiple-input / multiple-out (MIMO); Spectrum sharing; and Network architecture. Figure 4 shows a data processing function in the UP, according to the prior art. Specifically, it shows the situation in a 5G system. It shows a number of QoS flows (QFI1, QFI2, QFI3) being processed by the SDAP layer, mapped to a single DRB (DRB2). In the PDCP layer, security protection, such as ciphering or integrity protection, is applied to one packet of data, such as PDCP SDU. This has a size of up to 1500 byte, since this is the maximum data size supported by Ethernet. However, security protection can actually be applied up to a size of 9000 byte. This means that the remaining 7500byte capacity is effectively “wasted”. This is indicated by the portion labelled “Resource Waste”. Figure 5 shows a modified version of the function shown in Figure 4 and is according to an embodiment of the present invention. It shows the introduction of a new layer RAP - Radio Analytics Protocol immediately above the SDAP. This is provided to concatenate data from the various QoS flows (QF1 - QFI3). The data from these is concatenated before security protection is applied. This has the effect of maximising the utilisation rate of capacity and reduces the processing time and burden of security protection. It also has the effect of reducing header overhead, since one header is generated per one set of concatenated data, compared to one header per QFI in the prior art shown in Figure 4. Precisely how much data can be concatenated is configured by the network by means of a pre-defined rule or specific configuration. An Al model may, additionally or alternatively, be employed to decide an optimal amount of data to concatenate. In Figure 5, the maximised efficiency of the concatenation process is illustrated as “Maximise efficiency” in the PDCP layer. Figure 6 illustrates a prior art data classification function in the UP. In the prior art shown, all data packets are inspected and used as possible training data for the Al model shown. This is burdensome and requires significant processing capacity and time. All packets leaving SDAP layer are inspected by the Al model. Figure 7 shows a modified version of the function shown in Figure 6. Here, the Radio Analytics Protocol (RAP) is positioned above the SDAP, in both the Tx and Rx chains. In the Tx chain, the RAP acts to classify data from a QoS flow into one of two types: data to be used for training purposes and data not to be used for training purposes. All data still forms part of the UP data and is handled according to known processes, but only some of the data is now used for Al training purposes, depending on the classification applied previously by the RAP layer. The modification to the protocol stack, and the new functionality provided by RAP, as set out in relation to Figures 5 and 7 may be applied independently of each other, but maximum improvement is provided if the adaptations of both Figure 5 and Figure 7 are applied concurrently. Figure 8 shows a prior art data security operation in the User Plane. This illustrates that all data included in the QoS flows is security protected, as illustrated by the protected data packets shown between PDCP and RLC layers. The security protection can be applied and removed as required at appropriate position in the data stream. However, security protection all the data can be burdensome and not all data necessarily requires security protection. Figure 9 shows a modified version of the security protection function of Figure 8. The RAP layer, previously referred to, supports selective security protection by protecting only some data packets which require protection and not protecting other packets not requiring such protection. The data packets thus arriving at SDAP in the Tx chain are only partially protected. The PDCP layer disables security protection. As the RAP layer is configured with security protection, i.e. ciphering or integrity protection, and performs security protection, the security protection in PDCP layer is de-configured or disabled by RRC reconfiguration to avoid duplicated security protection. For example, the data packets are integrity protected or ciphered in RAP layer of Tx side and submitted to the lower layers (e.g. SDAP or PDCP or RLC or MAC or PHY layer). Note that PDCP layer does not perform security protection (i.e. integrity protection or ciphering) as it was de-configured or disabled. When the data packets are received at Rx side, the lower layers process and deliver them to the RAP layer. The data packets are deciphered or integrity verified in the RAP of Rx side. Note that PDCP layer does not perform security protection (i.e. deciphering or integrity verification) as it was de-configured or disabled. Note that data communication is peer-to-peer in this instance. If RAP layer performs security protection, then the data is protected all the way through the peer RAP layer of RX side, i.e. before deciphering or integrity verification at the peer RAP layer i.e. TX RAP -> TX SDAP -> TX PDCP -> TX RLC -> TX MAC -> TX PHY -> over the air -> RX PHY -> RX MAC -> RX RLC -> RX PDCP -> RX RAP By selectively applying security protection, the Al model training is not adversely affected, since not all training data needs to be security protected. RAP protocol can support selective security protection based on RRC configuration and identifier, which significantly reduces the processing burden. In addition to this, a new security mechanism (e.g. a new algorithm) can be configured / used in RAP. In the prior art 5G system, the network can de-configure / disable the security protection from PDCP to configure or perform the security protection (e.g. the security mechanism) in RAP, meaning there is no impact on the legacy data processing, which avoids duplicate security protection in both PDCP and RAP layers. To support data concatenation, selective security protection, or data classification as set out above, the header design and the corresponding data processing can be considered accordingly, e.g. header field indicating whether SDU is concatenated, or whether SDU is security-protected or the type of data (e.g. training data or normal user plane data). The functions referred to above (i.e. data concatenation, selective security protection, or data classification) can be introduced in SDAP layer or PDCP layer to achieve the same purpose. If all the functions are introduced in a layer, the order of functions can be Data classification, Data concatenation, and then selective security protection. If a few functions are introduced, they can follow the similar order. The functions can be extended to support mobility (i.e. handover) and split bearer (i.e. UE configured with dual connectivity) Figure 10 illustrates the inter-relation between various QoS Flows and the interaction with SDAP, PDCP, RLC and MAC layers. It illustrates the need for improvements in the data processing function required by embodiments of the present invention. 3GPP standardisation restricted, in Release 15, the use of integrity protection up to 64Kbps. However, Release 16 supports integrity protection at any data rate (e.g. 20Gbps) as a mandatory feature. This is just one of the drivers for improved performance addressed by embodiments of the invention. One of the main processing burdens results from ciphering and integrity protection, both of which are processor-intensive activities. In addition, data may be waiting to be processed before these functions are performed. It has been found, empirically, that peak data rate can be reduced by more than half if integrity protection is applied. In order to address this issue, High Speed Packetisation (HSP) is applied, This is shown in Figure 11. More particularly, Figure 11(a) shows a prior art process, whereas figure 11(b) shows HSP according to an embodiment of the present invention. The packetisation process is referred to in relation to Figures 4 and 5 and the so-called waster resource mentioned therein. Figure 11(a) shows the payload limited to 1500 bytes, as dictated by Ethernet, whereas Figure 11(b) shows a maximised payload incorporating several PDCP SDUs so as to optimise the available payload space (which may be up to 9000bytes). The prior art data structure of Figure 11(a) was designed to support fast data processing, which enables pre-processing before the reception of Uplink grant and the application of Hardware Accelerator (HWA) as shown. However, developments in the evolution of the standards means that L2 headers are added to each PDCP SDU, which incurs a large number of L2 headers to be processed at high data rate, e.g. 1.6 million L2 headers at 20Gbps. The User Plane Integrity Protection (UPIP) adopted from Release 16 onwards would result in significant performance degradation on data processing. Further, the data processing capacity of HWA is not fully utilized, i.e. only 1500byte is processed, where there is a capacity of 9000byte. Figure 11(b) shows HSP according to an embodiment of the invention. By concatenating data in this way, certain benefits are realised. These include: accelerating data processing for ciphering and integrity protection; maximizing the utilization rate of Hardware (HW) engine; reducing header overhead, since overall, fewer data headers are required for the same effective data; increasing data throughput. By combining multiple PDCP SDUs into one pseudo SDU, as shown in Figure 11(b) several benefits follow. The number of L2 headers to be processed is significantly reduced, as the number of concatenated SDUs increases, especially for high data rates. The maximum SDU, including multiple PDCP SDUs, as shown, can be processed with onetime initialization and key expansion, which reduces the UPIP processing time. The UPIP performance is enhanced as the size of maximum SDU increases. Further, the data processing capacity of HWA is fully utilized, i.e. the efficiency thereof can be maximized by PDCP concatenation. Note that in an embodiment, PDCP concatenation is an add-on feature, to be configured on top of the legacy (or prior art) configuration and is configurable by the network. Concatenated SDUs in PDCP can be regarded as one large PDCP PDU, which has no impact on legacy (or prior art) RLC / MAC / PHY. A benefit associated with embodiments of the invention relates to the reduction of header overhead and processing burden. The number of L2 headers per concatenated SDUs, i.e. the number of the existing L2 headers to be processed, is reduced by 1 / n times where “n” is the number of SDUs to be concatenated. SO, if e.g. 5 SDUs are concatenated, the number of L2 headers is reduced by 1 / 5. The resource efficiency increases as the number of concatenated SDUs increases, from the network’s perspective. A further benefit associated with embodiments of the invention concerns throughput enhancement with UPIP. The concatenated SDUs can be processed with one-time initialization and one security key expansion, which reduces the processing time required. The throughput increases as the size of concatenated SDUs increases. Furthermore, unnecessary processing delay from PDCP concatenation can be avoided or at least minimised. PDCP concatenation is applicable to the pending buffered data in a dynamic manner. As mentioned previously, the improvement provided by HSP can be further improved by: data collection and classification; security enhancement including selective security protection; and data reproduction. At least some of the example embodiments described herein may be constructed, partially or wholly, using dedicated special-purpose hardware. Terms such as ‘component’, ‘module’ or ‘unit’ used herein may include, but are not limited to, a hardware device, such as circuitry in the form of discrete or integrated components, a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), which performs certain tasks or provides the associated functionality. In some embodiments, the described elements may be configured to reside on a tangible, persistent, addressable storage medium and may be configured to execute on one or more processors. These functional elements may in some embodiments include, by way of example, components, such as software components, object-oriented software components, class components and task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, segments of program code, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuitry, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays, and variables. Although the example embodiments have been described with reference to the components, modules and units discussed herein, such functional elements may be combined into fewer elements or separated into additional elements. Various combinations of optional features have been described herein, and it will be appreciated that described features may be combined in any suitable combination. In particular, the features of any one example embodiment may be combined with features of any other embodiment, as appropriate, except where such combinations are mutually exclusive. Throughout this specification, the term “comprising” or “comprises” means including the component(s) specified but not to the exclusion of the presence of others. Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and / or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and / or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features. The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for use by a transmission device in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:5 receiving, from an upper layer, a plurality of service data units, SDUs;classifying the received plurality of SDUs into at least one group based on Quality of Service, QoS requirement;generating concatenated data by concatenating the plurality of SDUs belonging to the at least one group having the same QoS requirement, before performing at a packet data convergence 10 protocol, PDCP, layer, at least one procedure among an integrity protection procedure and a ciphering procedure for the concatenated data; and transmitting, to a reception device through a lower layer, data for which the at least one procedure has been performed, wherein common security key information for performing the at least one procedure is applied to the SDUs included in the concatenated data.

152. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating of the concatenated data comprises: generating a field including information related to the concatenation of the SDUs; and including the field in a header with the concatenated SDUs in the generated concatenated data.20 3. The method of any preceding claim wherein data from a particular Quality of Serviceflow is categorised as either data to be used as training data for training an Al model or not.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein both the data categorised as training data and the data not so categorised forms part of User Plane, UP, data.

255. The method of any preceding claim wherein data arriving at or departing from an SDAP layer, a Tx and Rx layer respectively, is only partially protected.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein security protection in a PDCP layer is de-configured or 30 disabled.

7. Apparatus arranged to perform the method of any preceding claim.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising a base station, gNB, and a User Equipment, UE, 35 communicatively connected.

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