Optimizing User Equipment Power Consumption in 5G Networks Based on Packet RLC Modulation

Abstract

Optimizing power consumption of user equipment in 5G networks based on RLC modulation of packets A method for power saving of a UE operating in a 5G network. Transmission requirement data of logical channels for application level data is collected from an SDAP including logical channel ID, application ID, and QCI indexing information. A list of logical channels having QCI indexing for tolerable delay of a packet is created. The logical channels of the list are mapped to associated RLC channels. In response to receiving a packet by the RLC multiplexing layer, an RLC channel ID from the SARQ packet is mapped to a list of logical channels with tolerable transmission delay of the packet. In response to a match between the RLC channel ID and the logical channels of the list, the packet is stored in an RLC data structure in an allocated memory, and in response to receiving a time-critical packet, the time-critical packet and the stored packet are submitted to a MAC carrier controller for transmission processing.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to 5G (fifth generation telecommunications networks) optimization, and more particularly to user equipment power savings through modifications to the Radio Link Controller (RLC) and carrier switching logic of the 5G User Plane (UP) protocol stack of a Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS) architecture. [Background technology]

[0002] The telecommunications industry is undergoing significant advancements and is an enabler of new and improved technologies. Among these advancements are the pursuit of increased mobility bandwidth to accommodate more Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the delivery of more advanced and faster capabilities to mobile user devices, often collectively referred to as User Equipment (UE). 5G technology is expected to act as an enabler in telecommunications advancements and may bring about artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities such as observing local surroundings, inferencing, inferencing, and decision-making.

[0003] In 5G telecommunications networks, the New Radio (NR) Medium Access Control (MAC) layer serves the Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, where control is provided in the form of logical channels. These logical channels are virtualized communication network interfaces used to transfer IO commands (network data packets) and control instructions over the air interface and the 5G fixed access network. Logical channels are defined by the type of information they carry and are generally distinguished as control channels, used for the transmission of control and configuration information, or traffic channels, used for user data. 5G New Radio technology uses the 5G network slicing model, allowing the creation of multiple logical channels over a single radio bearer network. These logical channels are used to carry specialized traffic between UE devices and the 5G network.

[0004] 5G broadband uses millimeter waves for transmission, which requires additional power consumption for devices connecting to the 5G network. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented method, computer program product, and system for battery power conservation of user equipment operating in a 5G network are provided. The method provides that one or more processors initiate collection of logical channel transmission requirement data for application-level data from a Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) and collection of logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and quality of service class identifier (QCI) indexing information. The one or more processors create a list of logical channels with acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable transmission delays of packets based on the logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and QCI indexing information. The one or more processors map the logical channels of the list to associated radio link control (RLC) channels. In response to receiving a packet by the RLC multiplexing layer, the one or more processors compare the RLC channel ID from the segmented automatic repeat request (ARQ) packet with the list of logical channels with tolerable delays for transmission of the packet. The one or more processors, in response to a match between the RLC channel ID and a logical channel in the list, store the packet in an RLC data structure in the allocated memory, and the one or more processors, in response to receiving a time-critical packet, submit the time-critical packet and the stored packet to a medium access control (MAC) carrier controller for transmission processing. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following drawings:

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a distributed data processing environment in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0008] [Figure 2]2 is a flowchart illustrating operational steps of a power saving program operating in the network of distributed data processing environments of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

[0009] [Figure 3] 3 illustrates a block diagram of components of a computing system including a computing device configured with the capability to operatively execute the power saving program of FIG. 2 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010]

[0006] Embodiments of the present invention recognize that current mechanisms for Radio Access Network (RAN) moderation do not include energy optimization capabilities at the User Equipment (UE) level. The 5G telecommunications network programming stack offers the flexibility of a Control Plane and User Plane Separation (CUPS) architecture, which provides selective differentiation between the control plane and the user plane, enabling faster data and command transitions between the fixed access network (5G Core) and the RAN. While RAN optimization is considered at the evolved Node B (eNodeB) and fixed access network levels, such as the Serving Gateway (S-GW) and Packet Data Network Gateway (P-GW), embodiments of the present invention recognize the lack of energy consumption optimization and power savings at the UE level.

[0011] Current RAN moderation multiplexing and Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH) multiplexing at the UE level cannot provide power saving optimization, which is one of the current major constraints in the transition to 5G networks. Furthermore, it has been observed during early studies that 5G mobile devices consume more power and frequently switch back to 4G networks due to device temperature rise and overheating. Embodiments recognize that there is a need to operate 5G-UE devices with improved operating capabilities with lower power consumption to reduce heat generation. Furthermore, 5G massive broadband operates at millimeter wavelengths, which requires more power consumption by user devices.

[0012] Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, computer program product, and system for an efficient mechanism of energy optimization for non-time-critical data transmission over the air interface of a Medium Access Control (MAC)-based data exchange in conjunction with existing UE multiplexing of 5G RLC. The embodiments are implemented in the multiplexing layer of the UE's 5G User Plane (UP) stack by collecting packet traffic information from various layered systems and determining which RLC packets are non-time-critical for delivery. The embodiments collect application-level data transmission requirements and Quality-of-Service Characteristic Indexes (QCIs) used to determine the handling of packets over the air interface. The embodiments collect and form a list of DTCHs with acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable delay transmission and map the traffic channels to associated RLC channels. The decision points for including acceptable transmission delays are mapped using existing predefined configuration policies that align with the dynamic sleep time of the RLC multiplexing controller.

[0013] When a packet is received at the RLC multiplexing layer for conversion and radio allocation, embodiments of the present invention extract the RLC channel identification (ID) from the Segmented Automatic Repeat Request (SEG_ARQ) packet and map the ID to a list of channels capable of transmitting data with acceptable delays. If the RLC channel ID matches a channel capable of transmitting data from the list, power consumption savings can be realized in the UE by reducing or delaying the invocation of transport multiplexing in the MAC and carrier-based multiplexing of the packet. Embodiments of the present invention store the packet in additional allocated memory accessible by the RLC controller, and the multiplexer polls for prioritized delivery packets from other channels. The prioritized delivery packets are stored and wait in local memory until a Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ) wakes the carrier controller to process the packet. The RLC controller and MAC-based device connector functions are kept in sleep mode when not in use.

[0014] In response to the RLC controller receiving a subsequent packet, the RLC extracts the application channel ID and checks the associated asynchronous field parameter. If the packet is initiated from an application providing time-critical operation and requires immediate delivery over the radio bearer, the carrier controller switches to the active state and the time-critical packet and the asynchronous storage packet are both submitted to the MAC carrier controller for further processing. Due to the capabilities of the carrier controller, no latency is experienced due to processing packets simultaneously.

[0015] Because physical carrier and MAC-based transport handling are battery-power-intensive tasks, embodiments of the present invention conserve battery power by reducing the active time for the RLC controller during simultaneous reception and processing of non-time-critical packets by the MAC carrier controller. In some embodiments, the embodiments may be undertaken based on the available battery power of the UE device or may be automatically applied when the device power level is below a predefined threshold. The embodiments manipulate the network's logical channels and apply application and channel delivery requirement information in determining the delay in packet transmission decisions for specific logical channels of the 5G network. The resulting delay in non-time-critical packet transmission reduces calls on the physical air interface, which has high energy requirements. The embodiments minimize the active state of the RLC carrier controller, thereby increasing sleep mode, and delivery of asynchronous delayed packets occurs along with later-received time-critical DTCH packets.

[0016] Embodiments utilize available transport bandwidth within a single carrier processing slot, which improves resource optimization. Embodiments perform intelligent packet selection by generating a list of application IDs, logical channels, and QCI characteristics, avoiding application performance impacts due to RLC processing. Because 3G, 4G, and LTE networks lack a mechanism by which packet information can be mapped to a generated list of applications and channels with acceptable levels of transmission delay for the packet, embodiments apply to 5G networks. Some embodiments integrate the power management efficiencies provided by embodiments of the present invention as part of an energy saving mode for a user equipment (UE) device.

[0017] The terminology used in this application includes acronyms used for brevity, which are defined as follows for clarity: 5G-UP - User Plane of the 5G Network Protocol Stack - The user plane, also called the data plane, carries network user traffic. In the context of networking, the plane is one of the three essential components of a telecommunications architecture. These three elements are the data plane, the control plane, and the management plane. CUPS - Control Plane and User Plane Separation - It allows operators to separate the Evolved Packet Core (EPC) into a control plane that can be located in a centralized location, and the user plane can be placed closer to the applications it supports. This type of separation is key for applications such as connected cars. CUPS allows the network to handle advanced tasks such as network slicing. RAN - Radio Access Network is the main component of a wireless telecommunications system that connects individual devices to the rest of the network through radio links. DTCH - (Radio Bearer Channel) - Dedicated Traffic Channel SDAP - Service Data Adaptation Protocol is responsible for mapping between quality-of-service flows and data radio bearers from the 5G core network, as well as marking Quality-of-service Flow Identifiers (QFIs) in uplink and downlink packets. RLC - Radio Link Control - A protocol used in 5G new radio, located above the MAC layer and below the PDCP layer. MAC (Element) - The Medium Access Control layer of the 5G new wireless network controls the hardware for interaction with the transmission medium. The MAC layer provides flow control and multiplexing for the transmission medium. NR - New Radio; shorthand for "5G NR"; used to describe 5G in the same way that LTE is used to describe 4G. 3GPP® - Third Generation Partnership Project is a collective name for several standards bodies that develop protocols for mobile telecommunications. QCI - Quality of Service Class Identifier - Used in 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks to ensure that carrier traffic is assigned the appropriate Quality of Service (QoS). Different carrier traffic requires different QoS and therefore different QCI values. TTL Compliance - Time to Leave RTT - Round Trip Time UE - User Equipment (e.g., cellular phone) eNodeB - Evolved Node B. An upgraded version of a 4G LTE radio base station that can connect 4G LTE devices to a mobile network when a 5G cloud-native core network is used by the mobile network instead of the 4G core network. S-GW - Serving Gateway (Aggregation Node) - Responsible for handover to other networks for all packets across the user plane. P-GW - Packet Data Network (P) Gateway (GW) - connects the LTE network to other packet networks. PDN - Packet Data Network GPON (Gigabit Passive Optical Network) - A fiber technology for delivering Internet access to business or residential areas using fiber optic cable. Segmented ARQ - (Seg-ARQ) Segmented Automatic Repeat Request (packet), which serves as a source for extracting the RLC channel ID of a received packet. HARQ - Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request; a codebook that provides feedback to the base station for downlink data transmission, i.e., PDSCH data. Multiple HARQ processes (up to 16) are supported per UE, requiring separate feedback for each HARQ process. PDCP Layer - Packet Data Convergence Protocol - PDCP is located in the radio protocol stack of the UMTS / LTE / 5G air interface above the RLC layer. PDCP provides its services to RRC and higher user plane layers (e.g., IP in the UE or relay in the base station). The PDCP layer also provides header compression. The air interface or access mode is the communication link between two stations in mobile or wireless communication. The air interface involves both the physical and data link layers (layers 1 and 2) of the OSI model for connectivity. BH link - backhaul link (backhaul communication node) Backhaul Transport - In a hierarchical telecommunications network, the backhaul portion of the network comprises the intermediate links between core or backbone networks and between small sub-networks at the edge of the network. Backhaul can include wired, fiber optic, and wireless components. DWDM - (millimeter wave physical transmission technology) - Dense wavelength division multiplexing is an optical multiplexing technology used to increase bandwidth over existing fiber networks. DWDM works by combining and transmitting multiple signals at different wavelengths simultaneously over the same fiber.

[0018] The present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a distributed data processing environment, generally designated 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not suggest any limitation with respect to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. The description of various embodiments of the present invention has been presented for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the disclosed embodiments. Numerous modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the described embodiments. The terminology used herein has been selected to best explain the principles, practical applications, or technical improvements of the embodiments over technologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others skilled in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

[0019] In an embodiment of the present invention, the distributed data processing environment 100 is a 5G network including at least an RLC 110, an SDAP 120, a PDCP layer 130, a millimeter-wave multiplexing layer 140, and allocated memories 160a, 160b, 160c, and 160d, all interconnected as components of the 5G network. FIG. 1 also shows an asynchronous packet 150 being transferred from the PDCP layer 130 to the RLC 110. To illustrate aspects of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 shows, by way of example, an asynchronous packet 151, which is an asynchronous packet 150 stored in allocated memories 160c and 160d. Additionally, FIG. 1 shows a synchronous packet 170, which represents a time-critical packet that does not include an allowance for transmission delay.

[0020] The Radio Link Control (RLC) 110 is implemented as a protocol used in 5G new radio and is located above the MAC layer and below the PDCP layer. The Radio Link Control 110 includes a packet extractor 111, a memory allocator 113, a location mapper 115, a packet retention manager 117, a power saving program 200, and a packet acquisition logic 119.

[0021] The packet extractor 111 identifies received packets and determines whether they have time-critical delivery requirements. The packet extractor 111 extracts packets that are confirmed to have non-time-critical delivery requirements by comparison with a list of DTCHs with acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable delay transmission and maps the traffic channel to an associated RLC channel. The memory allocator 113 uses existing memory allocation logic to assign memory pages to the RLC daemon for storing non-time-critical packets instead of submitting them over the wireless network channel. Storage of such packets allows initiation of a sleep state for the RLC carrier controller for transport multiplexing and carrier-based multiplexing in the medium access controller.

[0022] Location mapper 115 provides power saver program 200 with pointers to memory locations allocated by memory allocator 113 where non-time critical packets will be stored.

[0023] The packet retention manager 117 provides an incremental counter of packets retained in additional allocated memory and includes a threshold verification function for packet retention that, if exceeded, initiates a wake-up state and processing of the number of stored packets that meets or exceeds the threshold retention value.

[0024] The packet acquisition logic 119 provides functionality for locating and acquiring packets stored in allocated memory, enabling sleep states and power savings for the UE. In some embodiments, the packet acquisition logic 119 is initiated by the receipt and identification of a time-critical packet by the RLC. In other embodiments, the packet acquisition logic 119 is initiated as a result of a packet hold count exceeding a threshold or detecting that an RLC daemon is active for a carrier converter.

[0025] The power saving program 200 operates in conjunction with the RLC 110. In some embodiments, the packet extractor 111, memory allocator 113, location mapper 115, packet retention manager 117, and packet acquisition logic 119 are modular components under the operational control of the power saving program 200, providing functionality that allows non-time-critical packets to be stored in memory storage and that enables sleep states that conserve battery power in the UE. The discussion of the power saving program 200 includes functions that may be performed by the modules, but for brevity and clarity will be presented under the general operation of the power saving program 200.

[0026] The power saving program 200 collects data about logical channels from the SDAP for application-level data transmission requirements. The collected data includes radio channel (DTCH) identification from higher layers of the 5G UE user plane protocol and collects quality of service class identifiers (QCIs) used to make synchronous and asynchronous data transmission decisions. The power saving program 200 stores the collected channel and QCI characteristics in a metadata mapper class. The power saving program 200 initiates a polling thread in the RLC 110 for transport channel fetching and radio resource allocation for the UE. The polling involves DWDM or similar millimeter wave physical transmission technology, where each transport channel is assigned a slot for data transmission.

[0027] The power saving program 200 creates a list of logical channels with acceptable QCI indexing for acceptable delay transmission and maps the logical channels to the associated RLC channels. The determination of acceptable transmission delay includes mapping using existing predefined configuration policies that are consistent with the dynamic sleep time of the RLC multiplexing controller.

[0028] When the RLC multiplexing layer receives a packet, the power saving program 200 extracts the RLC channel ID from the segmented automatic repeat request (Seg-ARQ) packet and maps the extracted channel ID to a list indicating the tolerable delayed packet delivery for each channel. The power saving program 200 determines whether the RLC channel ID matches the asynchronous data transmission enabled channel list. If so, it stores the packet in allocated memory and does not transmit the packet immediately. The multiplexer polls other transport channels for non-critical priority packets with tolerable delays. Storing the non-time-critical packets in memory removes output from the RLC multiplexer, allowing a sleep state to be initiated or maintained. The sleep state conserves UE battery power by avoiding constant radio resource allocation and slot allocation for data transmission, as well as the energy-intensive activity of placing data packets on transport radio carriers.

[0029] The power saving program 200 determines the receipt of a priority packet at the RLC controller. Determining whether a received packet has a priority status of time-critical for delivery packets involves extracting the RLC channel ID and associated asynchronous field parameters and examining the RLC channel ID and parameters by comparing them with a list of allowable delayed delivery logical channel to RLC channel mappings. After determining that the RLC channel ID of the received packet does not match the list mapping the associated RLC channel to a logical channel (synchronous priority packet), the power saving program 200 activates the RLC carrier modulator and multiplexer. The RLC carrier controller is activated when many packets are stored in memory and queues for delayed delivery. When a high-bandwidth input / output (I / O) workload is pending, the memory allocation manager (memory allocator 113) module activates the RLC carrier controller. In some cases, the RLC carrier controller is activated when the packet's return trip time (RTT) and time-to-leave (TTL) attributes exceed the allowable transmission delay limits. In some embodiments, an RLC carrier controller is invoked in the UE-user plane stack when the driver detects possible overhead caused by queue element manipulation of a UE radio carrier slot.

[0030] The power saving program 200 begins retrieving the stored packet from the allocated memory and submits it for processing by the MAC multiplexing layer along with the received sync priority packet, which is processed in the same awake slot of the RLC carrier multiplexer, further reducing the battery power consumed.

[0031] The power saver program 200 continues to poll for the SDAP or RLC for a trigger to initiate a wake-up state.

[0032] The SDAP 120, known as the Service Data Adaptation Protocol layer, is responsible for mapping between Quality of Service flows and data radio bearers from the 5G core network, as well as marking Quality of Service Flow Identifiers (QFIs) on uplink and downlink packets. The SDAP also marks transmitted packets with the correct Quality of Service Flow Identifier (QFI), which in turn indicates the correct forwarding treatment of the packet as it traverses the 5G system.

[0033] The PDCP layer 130 provides services to the user plane upper layers and radio resource control (RRC) and acts as a protocol between the UE and the network base station, establishing radio bearer connection and release functions. The PDCP layer 130 is responsible for the transfer of user plane and control plane data and implements ciphering and integrity checks for packet transmissions.

[0034] The millimeter-wave multiplexing layer 140 is a millimeter-wave carrier signal generator and provides multiplexing of packets for transmission. In some embodiments of the present invention, the millimeter-wave multiplexing layer 140 includes a Medium Access Control (MAC) and a Logical Link Control (LLC) sublayer.

[0035] Allocation memories 160a, b, c, and d represent memory pages allocated from RLC 110 by power saving program 200 in which non-time-critical asynchronous packets are stored to enable a sleep mode in which UE power is saved until time-critical packets are received and processed. The asynchronous packets stored in allocation memories enable a "sleep" state for the transport channel operating under RLC, which typically continuously fetches radio resource allocations for the UE. Figure 1 shows asynchronous packets 150 stored in allocation memories 160c and 160d.

[0036] An asynchronous packet 150 is a user plane data packet that has been determined to be non-time critical for delivery based on the channel and application ID and QCI information contained in the packet or packet header. Embodiments of the present invention determine whether a received packet has time-critical requirements based on the application, logical channel, or QCI associated with the packet.

[0037] Synchronous packet 170 has a time-critical delivery requirement associated with it. Upon receipt of synchronous packet 170, a wake-up response to the sleep state is initiated and synchronous packet 170 is processed for transmission. In an embodiment of the present invention, asynchronous packets 150 stored in allocated memory, such as 160c and 160d, are retrieved and processed simultaneously with synchronous packet 170.

[0038] 2 illustrates operational stages of a power saving program 200 operating in conjunction with the RLC 110 within the distributed data processing environment 100 of FIG. 1 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The power saving program 200 reduces calls on the physical radio interface with user equipment (UE) connected to a 5G network. The power saving program 200 determines whether received packets can tolerate delays in transmission and stores non-time-critical packets in allocated memory, thereby eliminating RLC flows on radio network components, thereby allowing the carrier controller to enter sleep mode. The power saving program 200 responds to receipt of time-critical packets by initiating a wake-up state of the RLC carrier controller and submits synchronous and asynchronous packets retrieved from memory for transmission processing.

[0039] The transport channel layer operates under the RLC carrier controller and continuously fetches radio resource allocations for UEs. This typically works with DWDM or similar millimeter wave physical transmission technologies, where each transport channel is assigned a slot for data transmission. Based on the assigned slot, data packets are placed onto a transport radio carrier. Placing data packets onto the carrier wave consumes a lot of energy and requires more battery power because it requires preparing the transport channel for transmission. Preparation involves subscribing to and decoding the transport channel, which requires the packet to be formulated into a physical air interface format. The transport channel operation of placing data packets requires millimeter wave transcription (MM), which is energy-intensive. An embodiment of the present invention collects channel and packet delivery information, creates a list of DTCHs (logical channels) with acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable delay transmission, and maps the logical channels to the associated RLC channels accordingly. The acceptable transport delay function is mapped using an existing predefined configuration policy that aligns with the dynamic sleep time of the RLC multiplexing controller.

[0040] The power saving program 200 collects logical channel transmission requirement data for application level data (step 210). The power saving program 200 collects data including logical channels for application level data transmission requirements from the SDAP. The power saving program 200 collects logical channel (DTCH) ID and QCI mapping characteristics that indicate whether packet transmission is time critical. In some embodiments, the power saving program 200 collects logical channel information from various layered systems, detects which RLC packets are non-time critical, and collects QCI and application characteristics.

[0041] The power saving program 200 creates a list of logical channels that have acceptable QCI indexing for transmission delay (step 220). From the collected logical channel information, the power saving program 200 determines characteristics associated with non-time-critical packets. The power saving program 200 uses the logical channel ID, QCI value, and application ID to determine characteristics indicative of packets that have acceptable transmission delay allowances. The power saving program 200 creates a list of logical channels that have asynchronous non-time-critical packets with acceptable transmission delays.

[0042] The power saving program 200 maps the list of logical channels to associated radio link control (RLC) channels (step 230). The power saving program 200 maps the list of logical channels having characteristics of tolerable delays in packet transmission to associated RLC channels. In some embodiments, the decision about which channels have tolerable transmission delays is made using existing predefined configuration policies that align with the dynamic sleep time of the RLC multiplexing controller. In some embodiments, the mapping of logical channels to the RLC table of channels is based on application-derived API or QCI characteristics and tolerable tolerance and transmission delay values.

[0043] In response to receiving a packet, the power saving program 200 compares the RLC channel ID with a list of logical channels (step 240). The power saving program 200 determines that the packet has been received at the RLC multiplexing layer for conversion and radio allocation. The power saving program 200 extracts the RLC channel ID from the segmented automatic repeat request packet (Seg-ARQ) and performs a mapping of the RLC channel ID to a list of channels capable of asynchronous data transmission. A comparison of the RLC channel ID of the received packet with a list of logical channels identified as having characteristics that allow for packet transmission delays determines whether the received packet is a non-time-critical asynchronous packet.

[0044] In response to determining a match between the packet's RLC channel ID and a logical channel identified in the list, the power saving program 200 stores the packet in an RLC data structure in the allocated memory (step 250). Upon determining that the received packet RLC channel ID matches in the list of logical channels with acceptable transmission delay allowances (i.e., non-time-critical packets), the power saving program 200 stores the packet in the allocated memory. The power saving program 200 determines a pointer to the memory address where the packet will be stored. In some embodiments, a retained packets counter is incremented to reflect the amount of packets stored in the allocated memory.

[0045] For example, a packet of asynchronous packet 150 is received and transferred to RLC 110. Power save program 200 extracts the RLC channel ID from the ARQ packet and compares the RLC channel ID to a list of logical channels identified as having characteristics that allow for delayed transmission of the packet. Power save program 200 determines that the RLC channel ID of the received packet of asynchronous packet 150 maps to the list of logical channels and begins saving the received packet to a location address in allocated memory 160c. Power save program 200 determines a pointer to the memory location where the packet will be saved.

[0046] In response to receiving a time-critical packet, the power save program 200 submits the time-critical packet and the stored packet to a medium access control (MAC) carrier for transmission (step 260). The power save program 200 continues to poll the RLC carrier for receiving packets and compares the RLC channel ID and packet transmission requirement information to a list of logical channels that allow delayed packet transmission. In response to determining that the received packet is a time-critical priority packet, the power save program 200 initiates a wake-up state for the hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) and RLC carrier controllers and starts the RLC carrier modulator and multiplexer. The power save program 200 retrieves the stored packet from allocated memory (i.e., via a memory address pointer) and submits the time-critical packet and the retrieved stored packet to the MAC carrier (i.e., millimeter wave multiplexing) for processing and transmission.

[0047] For example, the power saving program 200 determines that the RLC carrier controller receives a packet and determines that the RLC channel ID does not match an RLC channel ID in a list that is mapped to a logical channel that allows delayed packet transmission. The received packet has time-critical characteristics, and the power saving program 200 exits a sleep state and initiates a wake-up state for the RLC carrier control and HARQ. The power saving program 200 retrieves the stored packet in allocated memory and submits the stored packet and the time-critical packet to the MAC carrier for processing and transmission.

[0048] In some embodiments, the RLC carrier control is woken up due to exceeding a hold count threshold for packets stored in allocated memory. In other embodiments, the power saving program 200 wakes up the RLC carrier controller from a sleep state due to RTT and TTL values ​​exceeding acceptable limits for transmission delay. In yet another embodiment, the power saving program 200 wakes up the RLC carrier controller when a high-bandwidth I / O workload is pending.

[0049] 3 illustrates a block diagram of components of a system 300, including a computing device 305. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the computing device 305 includes similar components and functional capabilities as the RLC 110 (FIG. 1). It should be understood that FIG. 3 is intended as an illustration of one implementation only and does not suggest any limitation with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the illustrated environment may be made.

[0050] Computing device 305 includes a communications fabric 302 that provides communications between a computer processor 304, memory 306, persistent storage 308, a communications unit 310, and input / output (I / O) interfaces 312. Communications fabric 302 may be implemented with any architecture designed to pass data and / or control information between a processor (such as a microprocessor, communications and network processor), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components in the system. For example, communications fabric 302 may be implemented using one or more buses.

[0051] Memory 306, cache memory 316, and persistent storage 308 are computer-readable storage media. In this embodiment, memory 306 includes random access memory (RAM) 314. In general, memory 306 may include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage media.

[0052] The power saving program 200 is stored in persistent storage 308 for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors 304 via one or more memories of memory 306. In this embodiment, persistent storage 308 includes a magnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to a magnetic hard disk drive, persistent storage 308 may include a solid-state hard drive, a semiconductor storage device, a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, or any other computer-readable storage medium capable of storing program instructions or digital information.

[0053] The media used by persistent storage 308 may also be removable. For example, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage 308. Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer-readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage 308.

[0054] In these examples, the communications unit 310 provides communications with other data processing systems or devices, including resources of the distributed data processing environment 100, such as the PDCP layer 130 and the millimeter-wave multiplexing layer 140. In these examples, the communications unit 310 includes one or more network interface cards. The communications unit 310 may provide communications through the use of either or both physical and wireless communications links. The power saving program 200 may be downloaded to the persistent storage 308 through the communications unit 310.

[0055] I / O interface 312 allows for the input and output of data with other devices that may be connected to computing system 300. For example, I / O interface 312 may provide connection to external devices 318, such as a keyboard, keypad, touch screen, and / or some other suitable input device. External devices 318 may also include portable computer-readable storage media, such as thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention, such as power saving program 200, may be stored on such portable computer-readable storage media and loaded into persistent storage 308 via I / O interface 312. I / O interface 312 also connects to display 320.

[0056] Display 320 provides a mechanism for displaying data to a user and may be, for example, a computer monitor.

[0057] The programs described herein are identified based on the application for which they are implemented in specific embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood that any particular program terminology herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use only in any particular application identified and / or suggested by such terminology.

[0058] The present invention may be a system, method, and / or computer program product integrated at any possible level of technical detail. The computer program product may include a computer-readable storage medium (or media) having computer-readable program instructions for causing a processor to carry out aspects of the present invention.

[0059] A computer-readable storage medium may be a tangible device that can hold and store instructions for use by an instruction execution device. The computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device, an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, a semiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of computer-readable storage media includes the following: portable computer diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), static random access memory (SRAM), portable compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), memory sticks, floppy disks, mechanically encoded devices such as punch cards or ridge structures in grooves in which instructions are recorded, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. As used herein, a computer-readable storage medium should not be construed as a transitory signal itself, such as an electric wave or other freely propagating electromagnetic wave, an electromagnetic wave propagating through a waveguide or other transmission medium (e.g., a light pulse passing through a fiber optic cable), or an electrical signal transmitted over a wire.

[0060] The computer-readable program instructions described herein may be downloaded from a computer-readable storage medium to each computing / processing device or to an external computer or external storage device via a network, such as the Internet, a local area network, a wide area network, and / or a wireless network. The network may comprise copper transmission cables, optical transmission fiber, wireless transmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers, and / or edge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in each computing / processing device receives the computer-readable program instructions from the network and transfers the computer-readable program instructions to a computer-readable storage medium within the respective computing / processing device for storage.

[0061] The computer-readable program instructions for carrying out the operations of the present invention may be either assembler instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state setting data, configuration data for integrated circuits, or source or object code written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including object-oriented programming languages ​​such as Smalltalk® or C++, and procedural programming languages ​​such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The computer-readable program instructions may execute entirely on the user's computer, partially on the user's computer, as a standalone software package, partially on the user's computer and partially on a remote computer, or entirely on a remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be to an external computer (e.g., through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider). In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example, a programmable logic circuit, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or a programmable logic array (PLA) can execute computer-readable program instructions by utilizing state information of the computer-readable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry to carry out aspects of the present invention.

[0062] Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference to flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and / or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer-readable program instructions.

[0063] These computer-readable program instructions may be provided to a processor of a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine such that the instructions, executed via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions / acts specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams. These computer-readable program instructions may also be stored on a computer-readable storage medium that can direct a computer, programmable data processing apparatus, and / or other device to function in a particular manner, such that the computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon has an article of manufacture including instructions that implement aspects of the functions / acts specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams.

[0064] The computer-readable program instructions may be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other device and cause the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device to perform a series of operational steps to create a computer-implemented process, such that the instructions executing on the computer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement the functions / acts specified in one or more blocks of the flowcharts and / or block diagrams.

[0065] The flowcharts and block diagrams in the figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods, and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowcharts or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of instructions, comprising one or more executable instructions for implementing a specified logical function. In some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may actually be realized as a single step and may be executed concurrently, substantially concurrently, partially, or fully in a time-overlapping manner, or the blocks may possibly be executed in the reverse order, depending on the functionality involved. It should also be noted that each block in the block diagrams and / or flowchart diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and / or flowchart diagrams, may be implemented by a special-purpose hardware-based system that performs the specified functions or operations or executes a combination of special-purpose hardware and computer instructions. (Other possible items) [Item 1] 1. A computer-implemented method for battery power conservation for user equipment operating in a 5G network, comprising: one or more processors initiating collection of logical channel transmission requirement data for application level data from a service data adaptation protocol, wherein logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and quality of service class identifier (QCI) indexing information are collected; the one or more processors creating a list of the logical channels having acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable transmission delay of packets based on the logical channel identification information (ID), application ID, and QCI indexing information; the one or more processors mapping the list of logical channels to associated radio link control (RLC) channels; responsive to receipt of a packet by an RLC multiplexing layer, the one or more processors comparing an RLC channel ID from a segmented automatic repeat request (ARQ) packet to the list of logical channels with tolerable delays in transmission of the packet; In response to a match between the RLC channel ID and the list of logical channels, the one or more processors store the packet in allocated memory in an RLC data structure; and In response to receiving a time-critical packet, the one or more processors submit the time-critical packet and the stored packet to a Medium Access Control (MAC) carrier controller for transmission processing. A computer-implemented method comprising: [Item 2] Item 10. The method of item 1, wherein the time-critical packets include a delivery priority for the packets where at least one of a round-trip time (RTT) or a time-to-leave (TTL) value exceeds an acceptable limit. [Item 3] the one or more processors polling the allocated memory to determine whether packet retention exceeds a predefined threshold; and the one or more processors polling the allocated memory to determine whether a stored packet exceeds an acceptable limit for a return trip time or time-to-leave transmission delay value. Item 1, further comprising: [Item 4] Item 10. The method of item 1, wherein the one or more processors store the packets with acceptable transmission delays in the allocated memory in the RLC data structure, thereby providing power management efficiency integrated into an energy saving mode of a user equipment (UE) device. [Item 5] Item 10. The method of item 1, wherein a radio link control (RLC) carrier controller is activated in response to the amount of packets stored in memory exceeding a retention threshold. [Item 6] Item 10. The method of item 1, wherein the time-critical packets and storage packets are submitted simultaneously to the same active slot of the RLC multiplexing layer. [Item 7] Item 1. The method according to item 1, wherein data collected from logical channels provides application-level data transmission requirements, and data collected from QCI characteristics provides information for a decision on whether to store a packet in memory or forward the packet to the air interface without delay. [Item 8] 1. A computer program product for battery power conservation for user equipment operating in a 5G network, comprising: One or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: program instructions for initiating collection of logical channel transmission requirement data for application level data from a service data adaptation protocol, wherein logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and quality of service class identifier (QCI) indexing information is collected; program instructions for creating a list of the logical channels having acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable transmission delay of packets based on the logical channel identification information (ID), application ID, and QCI indexing information; program instructions for mapping the list of logical channels to associated radio link control (RLC) channels; program instructions for comparing, in response to receiving a packet by an RLC multiplexing layer, an RLC channel ID from a segmented automatic repeat request (ARQ) packet with said list of logical channels with tolerable delays in transmission of the packet; program instructions for storing the packet in allocated memory in an RLC data structure in response to a match between the RLC channel ID and the list of logical channels; and program instructions for, in response to receiving a time-critical packet, submitting the time-critical packet and the stored packet to a Medium Access Control (MAC) carrier controller for transmission processing; 1. A computer program product comprising: [Item 9] Item 10. The computer program product of item 8, wherein the time-critical packets include a delivery priority for the packets having at least one of a round-trip time (RTT) or a time-to-leave (TTL) value that exceeds an acceptable limit. [Item 10] program instructions for polling the allocated memory to determine whether packet retention exceeds a predefined threshold; and program instructions for polling the allocated memory to determine whether a stored packet exceeds an acceptable limit for a return trip time or a time-to-leave transmission delay value; Item 9. The computer program product of item 8, further comprising: [Item 11] Item 10. The computer program product of item 8, wherein a radio link control (RLC) carrier controller is invoked in response to program instructions determining that an amount of packets stored in the allocated memory exceeds a retention threshold. [Item 12] Item 9. The computer program product of item 8, wherein program instructions simultaneously submit the time-critical packets and storage packets to the same active slot of the RLC multiplexing layer. [Item 13] 9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the program instructions for collecting data from logical channels provide application level data transmission requirements, and the program instructions for data collected from QCI characteristics provide information for a decision on whether to store a packet in the allocated memory or forward the packet to the air interface without delay. [Item 14] 1. A computer system for battery power conservation for user equipment operating in a 5G network, comprising: one or more computer processors; One or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: program instructions for initiating collection of logical channel transmission requirement data for application level data from a service data adaptation protocol, wherein logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and quality of service class identifier (QCI) indexing information is collected; program instructions for creating a list of the logical channels having acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable transmission delay of packets based on the logical channel identification information (ID), application ID, and QCI indexing information; program instructions for mapping the list of logical channels to associated radio link control (RLC) channels; program instructions for comparing, in response to receiving a packet by an RLC multiplexing layer, an RLC channel ID from a segmented automatic repeat request (ARQ) packet with said list of logical channels with tolerable delays in transmission of the packet; program instructions for storing the packet in allocated memory in an RLC data structure in response to a match between the RLC channel ID and the list of logical channels; and program instructions for, in response to receiving a time-critical packet, submitting the time-critical packet and the stored packet to a Medium Access Control (MAC) carrier controller for transmission processing; A computer system comprising: [Item 15] Item 15. The computer system of item 14, wherein the time-critical packets include a delivery priority for the packets having at least one of a round trip time (RTT) or a time to leave (TTL) value that exceeds an acceptable limit. [Item 16] program instructions for polling the allocated memory to determine whether packet retention exceeds a predefined threshold; and program instructions for polling the allocated memory to determine whether a stored packet exceeds an acceptable limit for a return trip time or a time-to-leave transmission delay value; Item 15. The computer system of item 14, further comprising: [Item 17] Item 15. The computer system of item 14, wherein the power management policy is integrated into an energy saving mode of a user equipment (UE) device. [Item 18] Item 15. The computer system of item 14, wherein a radio link control (RLC) carrier controller is activated in response to program instructions that determine that the amount of packets stored in the allocated memory exceeds a retention threshold. [Item 19] Item 15. The computer system of item 14, wherein program instructions simultaneously submit the time-critical packet and the storage packet to the same active slot of the RLC multiplexing layer. [Item 20] Item 15. The computer system of item 14, wherein the program instructions for collecting data from logical channels provide application level data transmission requirements, and the program instructions for data collected from QCI characteristics provide information for a decision on whether to store a packet in the allocated memory or forward the packet to the air interface without delay.

Claims

1. 1. A computer-implemented method for conserving battery power for user equipment operating in a 5G network, comprising: one or more processors initiating collection of logical channel transmission requirement data for application level data from a service data adaptation protocol, wherein logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and quality of service class identifier (QCI) indexing information are collected; creating, by the one or more processors, a list of the logical channels having acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable transmission delay of packets based on the logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and QCI indexing information; the one or more processors mapping the list of logical channels to associated radio link control (RLC) channels; responsive to receipt of a packet by an RLC multiplexing layer, the one or more processors comparing an RLC channel ID from a segmented automatic repeat request (ARQ) packet with the list of logical channels with tolerable delays for transmission of the packet; In response to a match between the RLC channel ID and the list of logical channels, the one or more processors store the packet in allocated memory in an RLC data structure; and In response to receiving a time-critical packet, the one or more processors submit the time-critical packet and the stored packet to a medium access control (MAC) carrier controller for transmission processing. A computer-implemented method comprising:

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the time-critical packets include a delivery priority for the packets with at least one of a round-trip time (RTT) or a time-to-leave (TTL) value exceeding an acceptable limit.

3. the one or more processors polling the allocated memory to determine whether packet retention exceeds a predefined threshold; and the one or more processors polling the allocated memory to determine whether a stored packet exceeds an acceptable limit for a return trip time or time-to-leave transmission delay value. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

4. 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors store the packets with tolerable transmission delays in the allocated memory in the RLC data structure, thereby providing power management efficiency integrated into an energy saving mode of a user equipment (UE) device.

5. 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 or 2, wherein a radio link control (RLC) carrier controller is activated in response to an amount of packets stored in memory exceeding a retention threshold.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the time-critical packets and the storage packets are submitted simultaneously to the same active slot of the RLC multiplexing layer.

7. 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 or 2, wherein data collected from logical channels provides application level data transmission requirements, and data collected from QCI characteristics provides information for a decision on whether to store a packet in memory or forward the packet to the air interface without delay.

8. 1. A computer program for battery power conservation for user equipment operating in a 5G network, comprising: one or more computer-readable storage media; and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions, when executed by a computer, causing the computer to: initiate collection of logical channel transmission requirement data for application level data from a service data adaptation protocol, where logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and quality of service class identifier (QCI) indexing information are collected; generating a list of the logical channels having acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable transmission delay of packets based on the logical channel identification information (ID), application ID, and QCI indexing information; Mapping the list of logical channels to associated radio link control (RLC) channels; responsive to receipt of a packet by an RLC multiplexing layer, comparing an RLC channel ID from a segmented automatic repeat request (ARQ) packet with the list of logical channels with tolerable delays for transmission of the packet; Responsive to a match between the RLC channel ID and the list of logical channels, storing the packet in allocated memory within an RLC data structure; and In response to receiving a time-critical packet, submitting the time-critical packet and the stored packet to a medium access control (MAC) carrier controller for transmission processing. Computer program.

9. 9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the time-critical packets include a delivery priority for the packets having at least one of a round trip time (RTT) or a time to leave (TTL) value that exceeds an acceptable limit.

10. The program instructions, when executed by a computer, further cause the computer to: polling the allocated memory to determine whether packet retention exceeds a predefined threshold; and polling the allocated memory to determine whether a stored packet exceeds an acceptable limit for a return trip time or a time-to-leave transmission delay value; 10. A computer program according to claim 8 or 9.

11. 10. The computer program product of claim 8 or 9, wherein a radio link control (RLC) carrier controller is activated in response to program instructions determining that the amount of packets stored in the allocated memory exceeds a retention threshold.

12. 10. A computer program according to claim 8 or 9, wherein program instructions are adapted to simultaneously submit the time-critical packets and storage packets to the same active slot of the RLC multiplexing layer.

13. 10. The computer program of claim 8 or 9, wherein the program instructions for collecting data from logical channels provide application level data transmission requirements, and the program instructions for data collected from QCI characteristics provide information for a decision on whether to store a packet in the allocated memory or forward the packet to the radio interface without delay.

14. 1. A computer system for battery power conservation for user equipment operating in a 5G network, comprising: one or more computer processors; One or more computer-readable storage media and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer-readable storage media, the program instructions comprising: program instructions for initiating collection of logical channel transmission requirement data for application level data from a service data adaptation protocol, wherein logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and quality of service class identifier (QCI) indexing information is collected; program instructions for creating a list of the logical channels having acceptable QCI indexing for tolerable transmission delay of packets based on the logical channel identification (ID), application ID, and QCI indexing information; program instructions for mapping the list of logical channels to associated radio link control (RLC) channels; program instructions for comparing, in response to receiving a packet by an RLC multiplexing layer, an RLC channel ID from a segmented automatic repeat request (ARQ) packet with the list of logical channels with tolerable delays in transmission of the packet; program instructions for storing the packet in allocated memory in an RLC data structure in response to a match between the RLC channel ID and the list of logical channels; and program instructions for, in response to receiving a time-critical packet, submitting the time-critical packet and the stored packet to a medium access control (MAC) carrier controller for transmission processing; A computer system comprising:

15. 15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the time-critical packets include a delivery priority for the packets with at least one of a round trip time (RTT) or a time to leave (TTL) value exceeding an acceptable limit.

16. program instructions for polling the allocated memory to determine whether packet retention exceeds a predefined threshold; and program instructions for polling the allocated memory to determine whether a stored packet exceeds an acceptable limit for a return trip time or a time-to-leave transmission delay value; 16. The computer system of claim 14 or 15, further comprising:

17. 16. The computer system of claim 14 or 15, wherein the power management policy is integrated into an energy saving mode of a user equipment (UE) device.

18. 16. The computer system of claim 14 or 15, wherein a radio link control (RLC) carrier controller is activated in response to program instructions that determine that the amount of packets stored in the allocated memory exceeds a retention threshold.

19. 16. The computer system of claim 14 or 15, wherein program instructions simultaneously submit the time-critical packets and the storage packets to the same active slot of the RLC multiplexing layer.

20. 16. The computer system of claim 14 or 15, wherein the program instructions for collecting data from logical channels provide application level data transmission requirements, and the program instructions for data collected from QCI characteristics provide information for a decision on whether to store a packet in the allocated memory or forward the packet to the air interface without delay.

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