Bearer Splitting in Multi-Radio HetNet
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently splitting and managing bearer traffic across multiple radio links, such as LTE and WLAN, due to limitations in dynamic decision-making, link quality considerations, and quality of service requirements, leading to suboptimal data transmission and resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of push, pull, and hybrid architectures for bearer traffic splitting, where a link aggregation transmitter and scheduler determine the optimal distribution of traffic across multiple radio links based on real-time link and interface statistics, using mechanisms like X2-W interfaces for signaling and network assistance to ensure efficient data routing and retransmissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If bearer traffic is split across multiple radio links (LTE and WLAN), then link utilization and network performance are improved, but device complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments bearer traffic into multiple bearers that can be independently managed and routed over different radio links (LTE and WLAN). Each bearer can be assigned to specific radio links based on traffic characteristics, QoS requirements, and link conditions, enabling fine-grained control while simplifying overall management compared to splitting a single bearer across multiple links.
2Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic decision-making is used for bearer splitting, then adaptability to link conditions is improved, but signaling overhead and processing complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes bearer routing decisions in advance based on traffic characteristics and QoS requirements, rather than making dynamic decisions for each data packet. The network configures multiple bearers with predetermined routing rules, and the UE applies these pre-established rules locally, reducing the need for continuous signaling and real-time decision-making while maintaining adaptability through pre-planned bearer configurations.
3Reliability
If multiple radio links are used for bearer transmission, then network capacity and reliability are improved, but quality of service management becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic into multiple bearers, each with specific QoS parameters and routing assignments. This segmentation allows the network to manage QoS on a per-bearer basis, making it easier to enforce quality requirements compared to managing multiple radio links for a single bearer. Each bearer can be independently monitored and controlled, simplifying QoS management while maintaining high reliability through diverse path selection.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for bearer splitting among multiple radio links are disclosed herein. User equipment (UE) may be communicatively coupled to an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN) Node B (eNB) by multiple radio links (e.g., an LTE link and a WLAN link). A transmitter may dynamically determine a splitting policy for how to split traffic among each link (e.g., what proportion to send over each link). In some embodiments, the transmitter may determine the splitting policy explicitly based on lower layer metrics. Alternatively, or in addition, each radio access interface may request data when a transmission opportunity becomes available, and the splitting policy may be determined implicitly from the data requests. For a UE, the splitting policy may be determined with network assistance, which may include a resource allocation for an LTE link, a probability of successful transmission over a WLAN link, and/or the like.