5G Data Packet Management for Congestion Control

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

5G wireless networks face congestion issues due to the competition between time-sensitive foreground data traffic and time-insensitive background data traffic for network resources, leading to poor user experience during data traffic overload events.

Innovation Solution

A data packet management system that prioritizes foreground traffic by implementing a random data packet dropping scheme for background traffic, adjusting transmission rates and dropping probabilities based on foreground traffic load and channel capacity to ensure high network utilization and throughput without affecting foreground flows.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If background data traffic is transmitted at high rates to maintain network utilization, then network throughput is improved, but foreground traffic quality deteriorates due to congestion

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork throughputVSAvoidforeground traffic quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments data traffic into foreground flows (time-sensitive) and background flows (time-insensitive), applying different transmission strategies to each segment. This allows the system to prioritize foreground traffic while still utilizing network capacity for background traffic, resolving the contradiction between maintaining high throughput and ensuring foreground traffic quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically changes transmission parameters (transmission rate, dropping probability) based on network conditions and traffic type. Background traffic transmission rate is adjusted downward during congestion events, while foreground traffic maintains its rate, allowing the system to adapt to changing conditions and resolve the throughput-quality contradiction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If network resources are allocated to background traffic during congestion, then network utilization is improved, but user experience deteriorates due to resource competition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork utilizationVSAvoiduser experience degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a packet dropping mechanism as an intermediary control strategy. By selectively dropping background traffic packets based on calculated dropping probabilities, the system mediates between utilizing network resources and protecting user experience. This intermediary mechanism allows controlled background traffic transmission without compromising foreground traffic quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If foreground traffic is prioritized by dropping background packets, then foreground traffic quality is improved, but network resource waste increases due to dropped packets

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforeground traffic qualityVSAvoidnetwork resource waste

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by selectively dropping only some background traffic packets rather than all background traffic. The dropping probability is calculated to be less than 1, allowing partial background traffic transmission. This partial approach ensures foreground traffic quality while minimizing network resource waste compared to complete background traffic blocking.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11140086B2Management of background data traffic for 5G or other next generations wireless network

Publication Date: 2021.10.05 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

In various aspects, a system that comprises detecting a congestion event in a network that transmits a first group of data packets and a second group of data packets, wherein the detecting the congestion event comprises detecting the congestion event has initiated in response to a data packet throughput value of the network having been determined to have decreased below a threshold value; in response to the detecting of the congestion event, determine a transmission rate of the second group of data packets based on a transmission priority of the second group of data packets; determining a data packet dropping rate for the second group of data packets based on the transmission rate of the second group of data packets and a size of the first group of data packets and transmitting the second group of data packets utilizing the transmission rate and the data packet dropping rate.