ACK Coding Within Radio Blocks to Reduce GPRS Overhead
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication systems face inefficiencies in acknowledging data transmission, particularly in the 3GPP GPRS/GERAN network, where frequent acknowledgement messages reduce user data capacity and introduce redundancy, and existing methods do not efficiently handle variable error patterns in data block reception.
Innovation Solution
A method that encodes acknowledgement data within the same lower layer protocol block as higher layer data, using variable-length codes based on the probability of acknowledgement types, allowing for more efficient reporting of multiple data blocks and reducing the need for frequent Fast ACK/NACK reports by indicating successful or failed blocks with optimized code lengths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If acknowledgement messages are sent with higher frequency, then reliability of data transmission is improved, but user data capacity decreases and redundancy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines user data and acknowledgement data into the same lower layer protocol block (radio block). This merging allows the system to send both types of information simultaneously without requiring separate transmission resources, thereby maintaining user data capacity while ensuring reliable acknowledgement delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The lower layer protocol block is designed to serve multiple functions: it carries user data from higher layers and simultaneously conveys acknowledgement information for those data blocks. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for dedicated acknowledgement messages, reducing redundancy while maintaining transmission reliability.
2Ease of operation
If fixed-length acknowledgement codes are used, then decoding simplicity is improved, but coding efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs variable-length acknowledgement codes that dynamically adapt to the actual transmission outcome. When all data blocks are successfully received, a short code is used; when some blocks fail, longer codes provide detailed error information. This dynamic coding approach optimizes the balance between code length and information content, improving overall coding efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of code length based on the acknowledgement scenario. By adjusting the code length according to the number and type of errors detected, the system achieves efficient coding that adapts to actual transmission conditions, maximizing productivity without sacrificing decoding simplicity through a systematic variable-length code structure.
3Productivity
If variable-length acknowledgement codes are used, then coding efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the acknowledgement information into distinct categories (e.g., all blocks received correctly, some blocks failed, specific error patterns). Each segment is assigned a predetermined code from a stored set, which simplifies the encoding and decoding processes despite the variable-length nature of the codes. This segmentation reduces device complexity by organizing the variable-length code structure into manageable, pre-defined segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system prepares and stores multiple variable-length codes in advance, each corresponding to a specific acknowledgement scenario. By having these codes pre-computed and stored, the device avoids complex real-time calculations during transmission, thereby improving coding efficiency while keeping the device complexity manageable through pre-prepared code tables.
4Reliability
If acknowledgement data is sent separately from user data, then acknowledgement reliability is improved, but overall transmission efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges user data and acknowledgement data into the same lower layer protocol block, allowing simultaneous transmission of both information types. This combination ensures that acknowledgements are delivered reliably as part of the normal data flow without requiring separate dedicated transmission resources, thereby maintaining acknowledgement reliability while improving overall transmission efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Data in a communications system including more than one higher layer data block within a lower layer protocol block is acknowledged by sending acknowledgement data and higher layer data in the same lower layer protocol block. Acknowledgement data, relating to all the higher layer data blocks in the or each lower layer protocol block, is coded according to the probability of an acknowledgement type.