Adaptive RLC Sequence Number Length for Carrier Aggregation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing radio link control (RLC) layer in 5G NR networks uses a fixed sequence number length for all transmissions, leading to throughput degradation and increased latency, especially in carrier aggregation scenarios, due to insufficient buffer sizes and unnecessary retransmissions.
Innovation Solution
Intelligently adjust the length of radio link control sequence numbers based on factors such as the number of component carriers, radio conditions, and radio access network configuration to optimize buffer size and reduce retransmissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a fixed sequence number length is used for all transmissions, then device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but throughput deteriorates and latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the sequence number length adjustable rather than fixed. The RLC entity dynamically configures different sequence number lengths (e.g., 12 bits or 18 bits) based on service requirements, carrier aggregation configurations, and radio conditions. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to optimize throughput for specific scenarios without permanently increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of sequence number length from a static value to a configurable variable. By modifying this parameter based on service type, number of component carriers, and radio conditions, the system achieves higher throughput and lower latency for delay-sensitive services while maintaining simpler configurations for other services, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.
2Reliability
If a longer sequence number length is used, then buffer size increases improving reliability, but transmission overhead increases reducing productivity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different sequence number lengths to different services, carriers, or RLC entities based on their specific requirements. Instead of using a uniformly long sequence number for all transmissions (which would reduce throughput efficiency), the system locally adapts the sequence number length to match the actual buffer size needs of each service or carrier, thereby maintaining reliability where needed while preserving throughput efficiency elsewhere.
3Reliability
If sequence number length is increased for carrier aggregation, then reassembly reliability improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses dynamics to adjust sequence number length based on the number of component carriers in carrier aggregation. When carrier aggregation is configured, the system dynamically increases the sequence number length to ensure sufficient buffer coverage for reliable reassembly. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by enabling reliable reassembly only when and where carrier aggregation is used, avoiding unnecessary processing complexity in single-carrier scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by a processing system including at least one processor includes identifying a service that is to transmit data to a user endpoint device over a radio access network, determining a length for a radio link control sequence number of a radio link control protocol data unit associated with the service, where the length is determined based on at least one of: a number of component carriers of a carrier aggregation scheme assigned to the user endpoint device, a radio condition of the user endpoint device, or a configuration of the radio access network, and configuring the radio link control protocol data unit with the length for the radio link control sequence number that is determined.