Wireless protocol layered architecture, wireless network architecture, and communication device

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of wireless communications. In particular, provided are a wireless protocol layered architecture, a wireless network architecture, and a communication device. The wireless protocol layered architecture according to the present disclosure comprises: a physical (PHY) layer and a medium access control (MAC) layer, wherein the MAC layer is configured to at least execute functions related to service data unit (SDU) segmentation and functions related to SDU reassembly.

Description

Wireless protocol layering architecture, wireless network architecture, and communication equipment

[0001] Cross-reference to related applications

[0002] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202411174872.X, filed in China on August 26, 2024, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to the field of wireless communication technology, and in particular to a wireless protocol layering architecture and a wireless network architecture and communication device including the wireless protocol layering architecture. Background Technology

[0004] With the evolution of network protocols, in the existing protocol architecture, the User Plane (UP) and Control Plane (CP) have the same protocol stack starting from the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, namely the PDCP layer, Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, Medium Access Control (MAC) layer, and Physical (PHY) layer. Then, in the 5th Generation Mobile Communication Technology (5G), the newly added Service Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP) layer is loaded on top of the PDCP layer, thus forming a five-layer protocol architecture with a fixed hierarchical relationship, which results in high system complexity. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This disclosure is made in view of the above-mentioned problems. This disclosure provides a wireless protocol layering architecture, a wireless network architecture, and a communication device.

[0006] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a wireless protocol layered architecture is provided for a communication device, including: a physical PHY layer and a media access control (MAC) layer; wherein the MAC layer is at least used to perform functions related to serving data unit (SDU) segmentation and functions related to SDU reassembly.

[0007] Furthermore, according to the wireless protocol layered architecture of the first aspect of this disclosure, a network function (NF) layer is also included, wherein the NF layer is used to perform at least one of the following: functions related to integrity protection; functions related to encryption; functions related to header compression; functions related to session and bearer mapping; functions related to protocol data unit (PDU) header generation; functions related to SDU splitting, copying, and routing; functions related to automatic repeat request (ARQ); and functions related to sequencing.

[0008] Furthermore, according to the wireless protocol layered architecture of the first aspect of this disclosure, when the aforementioned NF layer is used to perform ordering-related functions, the ordering-related functions include a copy / duplicate detection function: wherein the copy / duplicate detection function is used to perform copy / duplicate drop based on the Packet Data Control Protocol (PDCP) and copy / duplicate detection based on the Radio Link Control (RLC).

[0009] Furthermore, according to the wireless protocol layered architecture of the first aspect of this disclosure, when the aforementioned NF layer is used to perform ARQ-related functions, the ARQ-related functions include a status reporting function; wherein, the status reporting function is used to perform PDCP-based status reporting and RLC-based status reporting.

[0010] Furthermore, according to the wireless protocol layered architecture of the first aspect of this disclosure, when the aforementioned NF layer is used to perform functions related to integrity protection and functions related to encryption, the functions related to integrity protection are used to perform integrity protection on the PDU header, and the functions related to encryption are used to encrypt the integrity protection fields in the SDU and PDU headers.

[0011] Furthermore, according to the wireless protocol layering architecture of the first aspect of this disclosure, the aforementioned PDU message header carries application layer header information, and the application layer header information includes at least one of PDCP-based header information, RLC-based header information, and SDAP-based header information.

[0012] Furthermore, according to the wireless protocol layering architecture of the first aspect of this disclosure, the aforementioned MAC layer is also used to perform functions related to PDU retransmission.

[0013] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a wireless network architecture is provided, including any of the wireless protocol layered architectures disclosed in the first aspect above.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the wireless network architecture of the second aspect of this disclosure, it also includes: an orchestration management layer for configuring and managing the functional parameters of the Network Function (NF) layer in the aforementioned wireless protocol layered architecture.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the wireless network architecture of the second aspect of this disclosure, the aforementioned NF layer includes a first NF layer; the aforementioned orchestration management layer is configured to: allocate first network resources for initialization to the first NF layer according to first demand information, and send a first response message to the first NF layer in response to receiving a first request message sent by the first NF layer; wherein the first request message includes the initialization result and capability information of the first NF layer, and the first response message includes first configuration parameters; and the first NF layer is configured to: establish a routing connection with the core network side according to the first configuration parameters.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the wireless network architecture of the second aspect of this disclosure, the aforementioned NF layer further includes a second NF layer; the aforementioned orchestration management layer is also configured to: allocate second network resources for initialization to the second NF layer according to the second requirement information, and send a second response message to the second NF layer in response to receiving a second request message sent by the second NF layer; wherein the second request message includes the initialization result and capability information of the second NF layer, and the second response message includes second configuration parameters and the network communication address of the first NF layer; the second NF layer is configured to: establish a routing connection with the core network side according to the second configuration parameters, and send parameters related to the second NF layer to the first NF layer according to the network communication address of the first NF layer.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the wireless network architecture of the second aspect of this disclosure, the first NF layer is also used for: storing received parameters related to the second NF layer; and sending parameters related to the first NF layer to the second NF layer.

[0018] Furthermore, according to the wireless network architecture of the second aspect of this disclosure, it further includes: a first wireless network layer controlled by the aforementioned orchestration management layer; wherein the first wireless network layer is used to perform at least one of the following: network and service discovery functions; network and service registration functions; network and service authentication functions; interface management functions; message routing functions; orchestration management execution functions; network connection establishment functions; network connection modification functions; network connection release functions; and network connection rollback functions.

[0019] Furthermore, according to the wireless network architecture of the second aspect of this disclosure, it also includes a second wireless network layer whose resource allocation is provided by the aforementioned orchestration management layer.

[0020] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a communication device is provided, comprising: any of the wireless protocol layering architectures disclosed in the first aspect above.

[0021] Furthermore, the communication equipment according to the third aspect of this disclosure includes: terminal equipment or access network equipment.

[0022] As will be described in detail below, the wireless protocol layering architecture according to embodiments of this disclosure provides a three-layer wireless protocol layering architecture. By sinking the functions related to SDU segmentation and reassembly to the MAC layer, more efficient packet segmentation and reassembly can be achieved while optimizing the wireless protocol layering architecture, simplifying the process and reducing the complexity of the system.

[0023] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and intended to provide further illustration of the claimed technology. Attached Figure Description

[0024] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this disclosure and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this disclosure to explain the disclosure and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.

[0025] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a communication system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a wireless protocol layered architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the segmentation and reassembly method of the MAC layer according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a wireless network architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029] Figure 5 is a schematic block diagram illustrating another wireless network architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating a wireless communication method applied to the wireless network architecture shown in Figures 4-5.

[0031] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating another wireless communication method applied to the wireless network architecture shown in Figures 4-5.

[0032] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 9 is a hardware block diagram illustrating a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0034] Figure 10 is a hardware block diagram illustrating a network device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0036] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure more apparent, exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are merely some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments of this disclosure. It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein.

[0037] First, a communication system applying a wireless protocol layering architecture and a wireless network architecture according to embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIG1. The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various wireless communication systems, such as: evolution systems of New Radio (NR) systems, LTE-Unlicensed (LTE-U) systems on unlicensed spectrum, NR-U systems on unlicensed spectrum, Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) systems, Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS), Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) systems, WiFi systems, Beyond Fifth Generation (B5G) communication systems, 6th Generation Mobile Communication Technology (6G) communication systems, or other communication systems. It is readily understood that the communication system architecture and service scenarios described in this disclosure are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of this disclosure and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new service scenarios, the technical solutions provided in this disclosure are also applicable to similar technical problems. LTE is an abbreviation for Long Term Evolution.

[0038] As shown in Figure 1, the communication system 1, which applies a wireless protocol layered architecture and a wireless network architecture according to embodiments of the present disclosure, includes three interaction domains: terminal devices (e.g., terminal devices 11, 12), access network 20 (e.g., including network devices 21, 22), and core network 30 (e.g., including core network devices 31, 32). With the aid of the communication system 1, terminal devices 11, 12 are able to perform data communication with external data networks (e.g., but not limited to the Internet).

[0039] Terminal devices 11 and 12 can refer to user equipment (UE), access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station, mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, smart terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. Terminals can also be cellular phones, cordless phones, session initiation protocol (SIP) phones, wireless local loop (WLL) stations, personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld devices with wireless communication capabilities, computing devices or other processing devices connected to a wireless modem, relay devices, vehicle-mounted devices, wearable devices, terminals in next-generation communication systems such as NR networks, or terminals in future evolved public land mobile networks (PLMNs), etc., without specific limitations.

[0040] Network devices 21 and 22 can be devices used for communication with terminal devices 11 and 12. Network devices 21 and 22 can be base stations in systems such as NR system evolution systems, B5G communication systems, 6G communication systems, or other communication systems. In addition, network devices 21 and 22 can also be access points (APs) in wireless local area networks (WLANs), relay stations, network devices in future evolved PLMN networks, or network devices in NTN networks.

[0041] The core network devices 31 and 32 mainly provide user connections, manage users, and carry out service delivery, serving as the interface to the external network.

[0042] In the example shown in Figure 1, network devices 21 and 22 communicate with core network devices 31 and 32 via some over-the-air technology. Network devices 21 and 22 also communicate with terminal devices 11 and 12 via some over-the-air technology, such as the Uu interface.

[0043] With the evolution of network protocols, RLC, PDCP, and SDAP layers were introduced in GPRS, 3G, and 5G, respectively. The newly added SDAP layer in 5G is loaded on top of the PDCP layer, achieving new functions through a "chimney-like" overlay approach. In the traditional layered and planed definition, the user plane and control plane have the same protocol stack starting from the PDCP layer, namely SDAP, PDCP, RLC, MAC, and PHY layers, forming a fixed five-layer protocol architecture.

[0044] Furthermore, in the functional network element architecture of 5G, communication between network elements is defined using fixed interfaces, resulting in a rigid network structure. This not only leads to a decrease in network adaptability and flexibility but also prevents network elements from directly calling functions and communicating on demand. The rigid network structure inevitably reduces network adaptability and flexibility. Moreover, as the number of protocol layers increases, functional duplication and redundancy between layers become increasingly apparent. For example, both the PDCP and RLC layers have window queuing mechanisms, and the PDCP, RLC, and MAC layers all have retransmission mechanisms and other redundant designs. Additionally, the control signaling of the Centralized Unit Control Plane (CUCP) requires integrity protection and encryption. However, since CUCP cannot directly call the encryption and integrity protection of CUUP, PDCP encryption and integrity protection functions need to be implemented within the 5G CUCP network element. Nevertheless, considering the need for future wireless communication networks (such as 6G) to meet differentiated service requirements and provide multiple service capabilities, a flexible network architecture is required to meet these needs.

[0045] Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a wireless protocol layered architecture 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, for a communication device, including:

[0046] The system comprises a Physical PHY layer 201, a Media Access Control (MAC) layer 202, and a Network Function (NF) layer 203. The MAC layer 202 is used to perform functions related to Service Data Unit (SDU) segmentation and SDU reassembly.

[0047] In embodiments of this disclosure, a three-layer wireless protocol layering architecture 200 is provided. This architecture optimizes the traditional five-layer, faceted wireless protocol layering architecture into a three-layer structure. Considering that the functions related to SDU segmentation and reassembly, traditionally performed by the RLC layer, are closely linked to MAC layer scheduling, these functions are moved down from the RLC layer to the MAC layer. Specifically, the MAC layer 202 of the wireless protocol layering architecture 200 in this disclosure adds SDU segmentation and reassembly functions. By using the MAC layer 202 to depacketize and reassemble RLC-based data packets, data transmission efficiency and processing flexibility can be improved. Thus, while optimizing the wireless protocol layering architecture, more efficient data packet segmentation and reassembly can be achieved, simplifying the process and reducing system complexity.

[0048] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the communication device may include terminal devices (terminal devices 11 and 12 as shown in FIG1) and / or access network devices (network devices 21 and 22 as shown in FIG1).

[0049] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the MAC layer 202 is specifically configured to: execute the functions related to SDU segmentation in response to the arrival of the current scheduling time; and / or execute the functions related to SDU reassembly based on the detected segmentation identifier. This improves data transmission efficiency and enhances the flexibility of data processing.

[0050] In a specific example embodiment of this disclosure, as shown in the flowchart of the MAC layer implementing the segmentation and reassembly method in FIG3, the MAC layer on the access network device (e.g., base station) side determines whether the current scheduling time has arrived, and in response to the arrival of the current scheduling time, executes the function related to SDU segmentation, that is, sends the PDU segments obtained after segmenting the SDU to the MAC layer on the terminal device side, and further receives the reception response (including acknowledgment response or unacknowledgment response) for the PDU segments from the MAC feedback of the terminal device side, and repeats the above processes until all PDU segments obtained after segmenting the SDU (PDU segment 1...PDU segment n as shown in FIG3) are sent to the MAC layer on the terminal device side; wherein, each PDU segment has a corresponding segmentation identifier, and further, the MAC layer on the terminal device side executes the function related to SDU reassembly according to the detected segmentation identifier, that is, reassembles the PDU segments into packets.

[0051] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the physical PHY layer 201, the media access control MAC layer 202, and the network function NF layer 203 are arranged sequentially from the lower (or bottom) layer to the upper (or top) layer.

[0052] In the embodiments of this disclosure, considering that the wireless network side (such as access network equipment) has a relatively strict timing between the MAC layer 202 scheduling and the PHY layer 201, and a fixed timing relationship with the terminal equipment, resulting in high real-time performance, and considering that the functions scheduled by the MAC layer 202 and executed or implemented by the PHY layer 201 are general data transmission functions, the three-layer wireless protocol layering architecture 200 maintains the MAC layer 202 as a protocol stack hierarchy above or higher than the PHY layer 201, reducing the complexity of wireless protocol layering architecture optimization. The aforementioned NF layer 203 is used to complete or execute features or characteristics related to data processing, and is related to specific service requirements. It does not have a strict timing relationship with the communication equipment; therefore, it can be a layer above or higher than the MAC layer 202.

[0053] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the MAC layer 202 is also used to perform functions related to PDU retransmission.

[0054] In the embodiments of this disclosure, in response to a PDU segment transmission failure (i.e., receiving a non-acknowledgment response for the PDU segment), functions related to PDU retransmission can be executed. As shown in Figure 3, if the MAC layer on the access network device side sends any PDU segment to the MAC layer on the terminal device side and receives a non-acknowledgment response, the failed PDU segment can be retransmitted, and the MAC layer on the terminal device side can receive a reception response for the retransmitted PDU segment. By performing packet retransmission based on the RLC protocol at the MAC layer, packets based on the RLC protocol can be scheduled in order in a timely manner, allowing for better adjustment of scheduling information. By utilizing prior scheduling information for scheduling optimization, the success rate of retransmission can be improved, and buffering time such as sorting can be reduced, thereby optimizing the system and improving device performance. Simultaneously, it is beneficial for achieving high reliability and low latency network performance.

[0055] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the MAC layer 202 is further specifically used to: perform functions related to PDU retransmission in response to the maximum number of retransmissions not being exceeded.

[0056] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the functions in the NF layer 203 (also known as the service-oriented network function layer) can be flexibly combined into suitable NFs (also known as service-oriented network functions) during deployment. Here, an NF can be understood as an independent message interaction unit, or it can be understood as a network element in a traditional network element architecture (such as a 5G network element architecture).

[0057] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the NF layer 203 described above is used to perform at least one or more of the following eight functions:

[0058] (1) Functions related to integrity protection; In embodiments of this disclosure, the functions related to integrity protection (Integrity protection and integrity verification) performed by the NF layer 203 in the three-layer wireless protocol layered architecture 200 are performed by the PDCP layer in the conventional five-layer wireless protocol layered architecture.

[0059] (2) Encryption-related functions; In embodiments of this disclosure, the encryption-related functions (ciphering and deciphering) performed by the NF layer 203 in the three-layer wireless protocol layered architecture 200 are performed by the PDCP layer in the conventional five-layer wireless protocol layered architecture.

[0060] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, when the NF layer 203 is used to perform functions related to integrity protection and functions related to encryption, the functions related to integrity protection are used to perform integrity protection on the PDU header, and the functions related to encryption are used to encrypt the integrity protection fields in the SDU and PDU headers.

[0061] In the embodiments of this disclosure, by providing a novel encryption and integrity protection process, the integrity of the packet header is protected, and the integrity protection field and the packet SDU (payload data) are encrypted. This effectively prevents attacks on the network by modifying the sequence number (SN) in the packet header. Thus, more secure network data transmission can be achieved.

[0062] (3) Header compression and decompression functions; In embodiments of this disclosure, the NF layer 203 in the three-layer wireless protocol layered architecture 200 performs the header compression and decompression functions performed by the PDCP layer in the conventional five-layer wireless protocol layered architecture.

[0063] (4) Functions related to session and bearer mapping; In embodiments of this disclosure, the NF layer 203 in the three-layer wireless protocol layering architecture 200 performs the data stream mapping processing functions performed by the SDAP layer in the traditional five-layer wireless protocol layering architecture. These functions are optional in actual services and deployments.

[0064] The session-to-bearer mapping functions performed by NF layer 203 include at least one of the following functions performed by the SDAP layer in a traditional five-layer wireless protocol layering architecture: marking QoS flow IDs (QFIs) in both UL and DL packets; mapping between a QoS flow and a data radio bearer (DRB); and reflecting QoS flow to DRB mapping for the UL SDAP data PDUs. These functions are combined into the session-to-bearer mapping functions performed by NF layer 203.

[0065] (5) Functions related to the generation of Protocol Data Unit (PDU) message headers, also known as functions related to SN packet headers; in the embodiments of this disclosure, the NF layer 203 in the three-layer wireless protocol layered architecture 200 performs the functions related to the generation of PDU message headers that are performed by the RLC layer and PDCP layer in the traditional five-layer wireless protocol layered architecture, respectively. In this way, by integrating the protocol functions of the PDCP layer and RLC layer in the traditional network, a highly cohesive and loosely coupled simplified network function is formed, simplifying the data flow processing mechanism and process.

[0066] The functions related to PDU header generation performed by NF layer 203 include: RLC sequence numbering independent of the PDCP-based sequence numbering for AM and UM modes, performed by the RLC layer in the traditional five-layer wireless protocol layering architecture; and PDCP-based SN maintenance performed by the PDCP layer. These functions are combined into the functions related to PDU header generation performed by NF layer 203.

[0067] (6) Functions related to SDU offloading, replication and routing; In embodiments of this disclosure, the functions related to SDU offloading, replication and routing performed by the NF layer 203 in the three-layer wireless protocol layering architecture 200 are performed by the PDCP layer in the conventional five-layer wireless protocol layering architecture.

[0068] The functions related to SDU splitting, duplication, and routing performed by NF layer 203 include at least one of the following functions performed by the PDCP layer in a traditional five-layer wireless protocol layered architecture: splitting and routing functions; duplication functions. These functions are combined into the functions related to SDU splitting, duplication, and routing performed by NF layer 203.

[0069] (7) Functions related to Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ); In embodiments of this disclosure, the retransmission-related functions performed by the NF layer 203 in the three-layer wireless protocol layering architecture 200, which are respectively performed by the RLC layer and PDCP layer in the traditional five-layer wireless protocol layering architecture, are executed by the NF layer 203. Thus, by integrating the protocol functions of the PDCP layer and RLC layer in the traditional network, a highly cohesive and loosely coupled simplified network function is formed, simplifying the data flow processing mechanism and process.

[0070] The ARQ-related functions performed by NF layer 203 include at least one of the following performed by the PDCP layer in the traditional five-layer wireless protocol layering architecture: timer-based SDU discard; PDCP status report; and at least one of the following performed by the RLC layer in the traditional five-layer wireless protocol layering architecture: RLC status report (AM and UM) applicable to AM and UM modes, RLC status report, protocol error detection (AM only) applicable only to AM mode, and error correction through ARQ (AM only) applicable only to AM mode. Thus, at least the uplink functions such as PDCP Timer-based SDU discard, PDCP status report, RLC status report, ARQ, and protocol error detection (AM only) can be merged into ARQ-related functions.

[0071] Specifically, at NF layer 203, timer-based SDU discard (PDCP Timer based SDU discard) can be merged with RLC protocol-based SDU discard applicable to AM and UM modes.

[0072] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, when the NF layer 203 is used to perform ARQ-related functions, these ARQ-related functions include a status reporting function; wherein, the status reporting function is used to perform PDCP-based status reporting and RLC-based status reporting. Thus, the functions of PDCP-based and RLC-based status reporting are merged into a single status reporting feature.

[0073] (8) Sequencing-related functions; these functions are executed by the NF layer 203 in the three-layer wireless protocol layered architecture 200, and are respectively executed by the RLC layer and PDCP layer in the traditional five-layer wireless protocol layered architecture. In this way, by integrating the protocol functions of the PDCP layer and RLC layer in the traditional network, a highly cohesive and loosely coupled simplified network function is formed, which simplifies the data flow processing mechanism and process.

[0074] The sequencing-related functions performed by NF layer 203 include at least one of the following performed by the PDCP layer in the conventional five-layer wireless protocol layered architecture 200: reordering and in-order delivery, out-of-order delivery, and duplicate discarding (AM and UM) applicable to AM and UM modes; and duplicate detection (AM) applicable only to AM mode performed by the RLC layer in the conventional five-layer wireless protocol layered architecture. These related uplink functions are combined into sequencing-related functions performed by NF layer 203.

[0075] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, when the NF layer 203 is used to perform ordering-related functions, these functions include a duplicate / duplicate detection function. This duplicate / duplicate detection function performs duplicate / duplicate discarding based on the Packet Data Control Protocol (PDCP) and duplicate / duplicate detection based on the Radio Link Control (RLC). Thus, in the NF layer 203, the PDCP-based duplicate / duplicate discarding function applicable to both AM and UM modes and the RLC-based duplicate / duplicate detection function applicable only to AM mode can be merged into a single duplicate / duplicate detection feature.

[0076] Through the embodiments of this disclosure, based on service-oriented functional design, the protocol functions of the RLC layer, PDCP layer, and SDAP layer in traditional networks are merged and recombined, cohesively forming at least eight functional services. Specifically, by providing a service-oriented functional design principle based on cloud-native technology, the layering limitations of traditional protocol stacks are broken. Through the principle of merging first and then splitting, communication functions are designed with "merging the same mechanisms, aggregating the same functions, integrating similar functions, converging related functions, and solidifying basic functions," forming a highly cohesive and loosely coupled network function, providing the foundation for the on-demand combination of access network functional services.

[0077] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the PDU message header carries application layer header information, and the application layer header information includes at least one of PDCP-based header information, RLC-based header information, and SDAP-based header information.

[0078] In the embodiments of this disclosure, a new data transmission format is provided. By merging the traditional PDCP, RLC, and SDAP layer packet headers into a single application layer packet header, header overhead is reduced, and the effective data ratio and data processing efficiency of air interface transmission are increased. The service-oriented data packet design format is as follows:

[0079] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the new data transmission format including the above-mentioned application layer header information can be applied to AM mode and UM format. The new data transmission format may or may not have QFI.

[0080] Figure 4 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a wireless network architecture according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 4, the wireless network architecture 400 includes: a wireless protocol layered architecture 200 as described in any of the above-disclosed embodiments.

[0081] In the embodiments of this disclosure, a wireless network architecture 400 including the wireless protocol layered architecture 200 described in any of the above-disclosed embodiments is provided. By including the wireless protocol layered architecture 200 with this three-layer structure, the functions related to SDU segmentation and reassembly can be moved to the MAC layer. While optimizing the wireless protocol layered architecture, more efficient data packet segmentation and reassembly can be achieved, simplifying the process and reducing the complexity of the system.

[0082] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the wireless network architecture 400 further includes an orchestration management layer 401 for configuring and managing the functional parameters of the network function (NF) layer 203 in the wireless protocol layer architecture 200.

[0083] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the orchestration management layer 401 can allocate system resources and deploy functions according to service requirements, realizing on-demand scaling of service-oriented network resource capabilities and intelligent management functions of the service-oriented radio access network (RAN). Referring to another wireless network architecture 400 according to an embodiment of this disclosure as shown in FIG5, the orchestration management layer 401 can perform at least one of intent management functions, operation management functions, and intelligent management functions. Among them, the operation administration and maintenance (OAM) function is part of the operation management function, specifically including the interaction and management of system configuration, faults, alarms, performance, topology, version, services, and other functions.

[0084] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the above-mentioned orchestration management layer 401 can be a network entity, that is, a single network element.

[0085] Among them, the intent management function can translate users' natural language or text into user needs, operations and controls that the network can recognize, triggering processes such as on-demand deployment or configuration of network software / hardware resources, automatic generation of access network equipment (such as base stations), and automatic identification of services.

[0086] The network orchestration function can receive resource demand control (deployment requirements) from the intent management function to communicate and route with the resource layer (corresponding to the second wireless network layer 403 shown in Figure 4). Simultaneously, the network orchestration function obtains software versions (resources) from the OAM (management) function, enabling version download and startup control, and achieving on-demand deployment of resources for the service-oriented RAN.

[0087] The intelligent orchestration function can receive network intelligence requests from the intent management function, enabling model selection and activation for functions such as network planning, optimization, and digital twins, including intelligent model transmission, data collection, and distributed intelligent control. Simultaneously, it outputs or updates network parameters to the OAM (Operational Management) function based on the intelligent operation results, achieving operational control of the network.

[0088] The OAM (Management) function interacts with the intent management, network orchestration, and intelligent orchestration functions to exchange network and service requirements, configuration, and management data, enabling configuration and management of the entire site's operational status. Simultaneously, it monitors network operational status and reports events, triggering intelligent optimization in orchestration management.

[0089] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the Network Function (NF) layer 203 can be a cloud-native network function decoupled NF layer and NF layer services, which can include modular service functions such as control plane and user plane, and is a collection of higher-level wireless network functions. NF layer 203 can be understood as an independent message interaction unit, or as a traditional network element. The advantage of service-oriented RAN network intelligent management lies in the automatic generation of access network equipment (such as base stations) and the on-demand combination of service functions according to user needs. As shown in Figure 5, NF layers 1, NF layers 2, and NF layers 3 can be controlled and generated by the orchestration management layer 401 according to user needs. Alternatively, NF layers 1, NF layers 2, and NF layers 3 can be combined into a larger NF layer, thereby generating an integrated access network device (such as a base station). It should be noted that the definition of NF layers has no fixed form or limitation; capabilities can be combined on demand to meet differentiated and fragmented network needs.

[0090] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the NF layer 203 includes a first NF layer; the orchestration management layer 401 is used to: allocate first network resources for initialization to the first NF layer according to first demand information, and send a first response message to the first NF layer in response to receiving a first request message sent by the first NF layer; wherein the first request message includes the initialization result and capability information of the first NF layer, and the first response message includes first configuration parameters; and the first NF layer is used to: establish a routing connection with the core network side according to the first configuration parameters. In this way, the startup process of the NF layer (e.g., on the base station side) in a service-oriented RAN architecture (which may include at least the resource layer, platform layer, NF layer, and orchestration management layer as shown in Figure 5, or the second radio network layer, first radio network layer, NF layer, and orchestration management layer as shown in Figure 4) can be completed.

[0091] Referring to the flowchart of a wireless communication method applied to a wireless network architecture 400 shown in Figure 6, this method is used to complete the startup process of the first NF layer (e.g., NF layer 1) on the access network device (e.g., base station) side. If it is an integrated service-oriented RAN, this method can be used to complete the startup process of all NF layers in the service-oriented RAN, specifically including the following:

[0092] (1) Based on the user requirements of the orchestration management layer 401, the first NF layer establishment process on the access network equipment side is initiated. The orchestration management layer 401 converts the user requirements into computing resources and software resources, downloads the corresponding software version to the computing resources, and initiates the initialization process of the first NF layer.

[0093] (2) After the first NF layer establishment process is started, the first NF layer sends a first NF layer start request (NF1Init Request) message (corresponding to the first request message mentioned above) to the orchestration management layer 401, reporting the initialization results and software / hardware capabilities of the device side.

[0094] (3) After receiving the NF1Init Request message, the orchestration management layer 401 determines whether the service initialization is normal, and sends the configuration parameters required for software operation configuration to the first NF layer through the first NF layer startup response (NF1Init Response) message (corresponding to the first response message mentioned above).

[0095] (4) The first NF layer establishes a routing (interface) connection with the core network based on the received configuration parameters.

[0096] (5) The first NF layer can also establish routing connections with the established NF layers of other adjacent access network devices (base stations) based on the received configuration parameters.

[0097] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the NF layer 203 further includes a second NF layer; the orchestration management layer 401 is further configured to: allocate second network resources for initialization to the second NF layer according to second demand information, and send a second response message to the second NF layer in response to receiving a second request message sent by the second NF layer; wherein the second request message includes the initialization result and capability information of the second NF layer, and the second response message includes second configuration parameters and the network communication address of the first NF layer; the second NF layer is configured to: establish a routing connection with the core network side according to the second configuration parameters, and send parameters related to the second NF layer to the first NF layer according to the network communication address of the first NF layer. Thus, the startup process of the NF layer (e.g., on the base station side) in the service-oriented RAN can be completed.

[0098] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the first NF layer is further used to: store received parameters related to the second NF layer; and send parameters related to the first NF layer to the second NF layer.

[0099] Referring to the flow chart of another wireless communication method applied to wireless network architecture 400 shown in Figure 7, the process of adding a new second NF layer (e.g., NF layer 2) to the service-oriented RAN on the access network device (e.g., base station) side, and completing the service-oriented RAN function together with the first NF layer, wherein the second NF layer can be executed on the same physical resources as the first NF layer, specifically including the following:

[0100] (1) Based on the user requirements of the orchestration management layer 401, the second NF layer on the access network equipment side is started as part of the service-oriented RAN capability. Specifically, the orchestration management layer 401 converts the user requirements into computing resources and software resources, downloads the corresponding software version to the computing resources, and starts the initialization process of the second NF layer.

[0101] (2) After the second NF layer establishment process is started, the second NF layer sends a second NF layer start request (NF2 Init Request) message (corresponding to the second request message mentioned above) to the orchestration management layer 401, reporting the initialization results and software / hardware capabilities of the device side.

[0102] (3) After receiving the NF2 Init Request message, the orchestration management layer 401 determines whether the service initialization is normal, and sends the configuration parameters required for software operation configuration and the network communication address of the first NF layer to the second NF layer through the second NF layer startup response (NF2 Init Response) message (corresponding to the second response message mentioned above).

[0103] (4) After receiving the NF2 Init Response message, the second NF layer performs software configuration and sends a second NF layer start registration request (NF2 Init Register Request) message to the first NF layer according to the network communication address of the first NF layer received from the orchestration management layer 401. This message carries configuration parameters, service capability parameters (such as awareness, encryption, and integrity protection parameters), network communication address and other information related to the second NF layer (corresponding to the parameters related to the second NF layer mentioned above).

[0104] (5) After receiving the NF2 Init Register Request message, the first NF layer saves configuration parameters and other information related to the second NF layer, constructs a service-oriented access network device capability list, updates the process control procedure, and updates the service-oriented platform routing relationship. It also sends a second NF layer initiation registration response (NF2 Init Register Response) message to the second NF layer, which carries configuration parameters and other information related to the first NF layer.

[0105] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the wireless network architecture 400 further includes a first wireless network layer 402 controlled by an orchestration management layer 401; wherein the first wireless network layer 402 is configured to perform at least one of the following: network and service discovery functions; network and service registration functions; network and service authentication functions; interface management functions; message routing functions; orchestration management execution functions; network connection establishment functions; network connection modification functions; network connection release functions; and network connection rollback functions.

[0106] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the first wireless network layer 402 (corresponding to the platform layer shown in Figure 5) can be a layer embodying the capabilities of cloud-native network functions, elasticity, openness, and agile development. It includes functions for network and third-party service discovery, registration, and authentication; interface management functions between entities within the network and with other network elements and control entities; on-demand combination of network functions / services; and functions for establishing, modifying, releasing, and rolling back network connections, enabling on-demand invocation of service functions. The functions implemented by the first wireless network layer 402 not only include service discovery, registration, and authentication functions and on-demand combination process control capabilities, but also interface message distribution and processing, supporting various cloud-based or localized message transmission and interaction technologies, and supporting the underlying transmission requirements of different base station types. For example, the first wireless network layer 402 can support 5GC service-oriented protocol HTTP2 transmission, as well as the GTPU protocol, and also supports protocols such as SRV6, RPC, and LPC, enabling the first wireless network layer 402 to provide data transmission services with various performance and protocol requirements on demand according to messages.

[0107] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the wireless network architecture 400 further includes a second wireless network layer 403 for which resource configuration is provided by the orchestration management layer 401.

[0108] In the embodiments of this disclosure, the second wireless network layer 403 (corresponding to the resource layer shown in FIG5) can be a carrier for network function operation (such as a carrier for 6G network function operation), including computing power, storage, transmission and other resources.

[0109] According to embodiments of this disclosure, a flexible wireless network architecture is provided. By managing the wireless network architecture based on the convergence of service functions and service network platform through the orchestration management layer 401, the network autonomy is realized. This network architecture combines the service function plane and service process control on the access network device side. It can also generate access network devices (such as base stations) on demand according to user needs, and realize the ability to provide network functions on demand.

[0110] The flexible network architecture provided by the embodiments of this disclosure enables on-demand generation of access network devices (such as base stations) on different hardware platforms, meeting the differentiated needs of future networks, and allowing for on-demand combination of functions based on the orchestration management layer 401. It supports elastic scaling of network resources, agile function development, and plug-and-play functionality, aligning with the future network's requirements for multi-dimensional capability integration and openness. It is characterized by ease of openness, deployment, testing, and verification in the deployment, engineering construction, and integration of access network devices (such as base stations), thus possessing significant value for protocol stack cloudification and engineering practices.

[0111] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a communication device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 8, the communication device 700 includes: a wireless protocol layered architecture 200 described in any of the above-disclosed embodiments.

[0112] In the embodiments of this disclosure, a communication device 700 including the wireless protocol layered architecture 200 described in any of the above-disclosed embodiments is provided. By including the three-layer wireless protocol layered architecture 200, the functions related to SDU segmentation and reassembly can be moved to the MAC layer. While optimizing the wireless protocol layered architecture, more efficient data packet segmentation and reassembly can be achieved, simplifying the process and reducing the complexity of the system.

[0113] In one example embodiment of this disclosure, the communication device 700 may include terminal devices (terminal devices 11 and 12 as shown in FIG1) or access network devices (network devices 21 and 22 as shown in FIG1).

[0114] Figure 9 is a hardware block diagram illustrating a terminal device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The terminal device 800 includes a processor 801, a memory 802, and a communication interface 803. The processor 801, the memory 802, and the communication interface 803 are interconnected via a bus 804.

[0115] The communication interface 803 is used to perform wireless communication with network devices, and the communication interface 803 can be a communication chip.

[0116] The memory 802 is used to store computer-readable instructions. The memory 802 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof. The volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, optical disk, magnetic disk, etc.

[0117] The processor 801 is used to run computer-readable instructions, causing the terminal device 800 to perform the operations performed by the terminal device in the MAC layer implementation segmentation and reassembly method as described above.

[0118] Figure 10 is a hardware block diagram illustrating a network device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The network device 900 (e.g., a base station) includes a processor 901, a memory 902, and a communication interface 903. The processor 901, memory 902, and communication interface 903 are interconnected via a bus 904.

[0119] The communication interface 903 is used to perform wireless communication with the terminal device, and the communication interface 903 can be a communication chip.

[0120] The memory 902 is used to store computer-readable instructions. The memory 902 can be implemented by any type of volatile or non-volatile storage device or a combination thereof. The volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, optical disk, magnetic disk, etc.

[0121] The processor 901 is used to run computer-readable instructions, causing the network device 900 to perform the operations performed by the access network device in the MAC layer segmentation and reassembly method described above, or to perform the operations performed by the NF layer in the wireless communication method described above.

[0122] Figure 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a computer-readable storage medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in Figure 11, a computer-readable storage medium 1000 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure stores computer-readable instructions 1001 thereon. When the computer-readable instructions 1001 are executed by a processor, they perform a segmentation and reassembly method or a wireless communication method implemented with reference to the MAC layer as described above. The computer-readable storage medium includes, but is not limited to, volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. The volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM) and / or cache memory. The non-volatile memory may include, for example, read-only memory (ROM), hard disk, flash memory, optical disk, magnetic disk, etc.

[0123] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this disclosure.

[0124] The basic principles of this disclosure have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this disclosure are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the scope of this disclosure to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.

[0125] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems disclosed herein are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the terms “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.

[0126] Additionally, as used herein, the “or” used in a list of items beginning with “at least one” indicates a separate list, such that a list of, for example, “at least one of A, B, or C” means A or B or C, or AB or AC or BC, or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Furthermore, the word “exemplary” does not imply that the described example is preferred or better than other examples.

[0127] It should also be noted that in the systems and methods of this disclosure, the components or steps can be decomposed and / or recombined. These decompositions and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions to this disclosure.

[0128] Various changes, substitutions, and modifications can be made to the technology described herein without departing from the teachings defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the scope of the claims of this disclosure is not limited to the specific aspects of the processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, and actions described above. Currently existing or later-developed processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, or actions that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding aspects described herein can be utilized. Therefore, the appended claims include such processes, machines, manufactures, events, means, methods, or actions within their scope.

[0129] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be carried out within the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

[0130] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this disclosure to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations therein.

Claims

1. A wireless protocol layered architecture for a communication device, the wireless protocol layered architecture comprising: Physical PHY layer and Media Access Control (MAC) layer; The MAC layer is used to perform at least the functions related to SDU segmentation and SDU reassembly.

2. The wireless protocol layered architecture according to claim 1, further comprising: Network Functions (NF) layer, the NF layer being used to perform at least one of the following: Functions related to integrity protection; Functions related to encryption; Functions related to header compression; Functions related to session and bearer mapping; Functions related to the generation of Protocol Data Unit (PDU) message headers; Functions related to SDU offloading, replication, and routing; Functions related to Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ); Functions related to sorting.

3. The wireless protocol layered architecture according to claim 2, wherein, In the case where the NF layer is used to perform the sorting-related functions, the sorting-related functions include copy / duplicate detection functions: The copy / duplicate detection function is used to perform copy / duplicate discarding based on Packet Data Control Protocol (PDCP) and copy / duplicate detection based on Radio Link Control (RLC).

4. The wireless protocol layered architecture according to claim 2, wherein, In the case where the NF layer is used to perform the ARQ-related functions, the ARQ-related functions include status reporting functions; The status reporting function is used to perform status reporting based on PDCP and status reporting based on RLC.

5. The wireless protocol layered architecture according to claim 2, wherein, When the NF layer is used to perform the integrity protection-related functions and the encryption-related functions, the integrity protection-related functions are used to perform integrity protection on the PDU header, and the encryption-related functions are used to encrypt the SDU and the integrity protection field in the PDU header.

6. The wireless protocol layered architecture according to claim 2, wherein, The PDU message header carries application layer header information, and the application layer header information includes at least one of PDCP-based header information, RLC-based header information, and SDAP-based header information.

7. The wireless protocol layered architecture according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The MAC layer is also used to perform functions related to PDU retransmission.

8. A wireless network architecture, comprising: The wireless protocol layered architecture as described in any one of claims 1-7.

9. The wireless network architecture according to claim 8, further comprising: An orchestration and management layer used for configuring and managing the functional parameters of the Network Functions (NF) layer in the wireless protocol layered architecture.

10. The wireless network architecture according to claim 9, wherein, The NF layer includes a first NF layer; The orchestration management layer is configured to: allocate first network resources for initialization to the first NF layer based on first demand information, and, in response to receiving a first request message from the first NF layer, send a first response message to the first NF layer; wherein the first request message includes the initialization result and capability information of the first NF layer, and the first response message includes first configuration parameters; and The first NF layer is used to: establish a routing connection with the core network side according to the first configuration parameters.

11. The wireless network architecture according to claim 10, wherein, The NF layer also includes a second NF layer; The orchestration management layer is further configured to: allocate second network resources for initialization to the second NF layer according to the second demand information, and send a second response message to the second NF layer in response to receiving a second request message sent by the second NF layer; wherein the second request message includes the initialization result and capability information of the second NF layer, and the second response message includes second configuration parameters and the network communication address of the first NF layer; The second NF is used to: establish a routing connection with the core network side according to the second configuration parameters, and send parameters related to the second NF layer to the first NF layer according to the network communication address of the first NF layer.

12. The wireless network architecture according to claim 11, wherein, The first NF layer is also used for: Store the received parameters related to the second NF layer; and Send parameters related to the first NF layer to the second NF layer.

13. The wireless network architecture according to any one of claims 9 to 12, further comprising: The first wireless network layer is controlled by the orchestration management layer; The first wireless network layer is configured to perform at least one of the following: Network and service discovery capabilities; Registration functions for networks and services; Authentication functions for networks and services; Interface management functionality; Message routing functionality; Arrangement management and execution functions; Network connection establishment function; Functionality to modify network connections; The function to release network connections; The fallback function for network connections.

14. The wireless network architecture according to claim 13, further comprising: The second wireless network layer provides resource allocation by the orchestration management layer.

15. A communication device, comprising: The wireless protocol layered architecture as described in any one of claims 1-7.

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