Buffer Status Reporting Timing for Delayed Random Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communications in non-terrestrial networks (NTN) face inefficiencies such as increased signal propagation delay, additional communication overhead, power consumption, and uplink interference due to inefficient random access procedures triggered by buffer status reports (BSR), particularly in systems with longer round-trip delays.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method to selectively determine the generation of new packet data units based on configuration parameters like BSR validation timer, size threshold, and uplink grant, and keeping triggered BSRs pending until a response is received, thereby avoiding unnecessary random access procedures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a random access procedure is immediately initiated after triggering a BSR, then the uplink data transmission can start quickly, but it causes increased power consumption, increased uplink interference, and increased transmission latency in systems with long round-trip delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuplink data transmission speedVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by delaying the random access procedure initiation until a more favorable time point, specifically until an uplink grant is received or until a determined delay period expires. This preliminary delay prevents premature transmission attempts that would waste power, while still ensuring eventual data transmission. The system prepares the BSR for transmission but holds off on the actual random access procedure until conditions are more favorable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If a random access procedure is immediately initiated after triggering a BSR, then the uplink data transmission can start quickly, but it causes increased transmission latency in systems with long round-trip delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuplink data transmission speedVSAvoidtransmission latency

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements feedback by monitoring whether an uplink grant is received before initiating the random access procedure. The system waits for feedback from the network (the uplink grant) that confirms the timing and resources for uplink transmission are available. This feedback mechanism ensures that the random access procedure is initiated at the optimal moment, avoiding both premature transmission (which would waste power) and excessive delays (which would increase latency).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies dynamics by making the random access procedure initiation time variable rather than fixed. The initiation is dynamically adjusted based on whether an uplink grant is received within a determined time period. If the grant is received, the random access procedure starts immediately; if not, it starts after the delay period expires. This dynamic approach adapts to real-time network conditions to optimize both power consumption and transmission latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If parallel BSRs are triggered, then the buffer status reporting can be comprehensive, but it causes additional communication overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuffer status reporting completenessVSAvoidcommunication overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies merging by combining multiple pending BSRs into a single random access procedure initiation. Instead of triggering separate random access procedures for each BSR, the system waits to accumulate multiple BSR triggers and then initiates a single unified random access procedure that can handle all pending buffer status reports. This reduces communication overhead while maintaining comprehensive buffer status reporting.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Reliability

If retriggering of the BSR occurs frequently, then the buffer status can be continuously updated, but it causes increased power consumption and communication overhead

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuffer status update frequencyVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic action by establishing a determined time period during which multiple BSR triggers are accumulated before initiating the random access procedure. This periodic approach converts frequent, continuous BSR retriggering into a more structured, periodic transmission pattern. The system continuously monitors for BSR triggers (maintaining reliability) but only initiates transmission periodically when the time period expires or an uplink grant is received (reducing power consumption).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS20260082432A1Random Access Associated with Buffer Status Reporting

Publication Date: 2026.03.19 COMCAST CABLE COMM LLC

AI summary

Wireless communications may comprise one or more random access procedures. A random access procedure may be associated with a buffer status report (BSR). The BSR report may be maintained based on one or more conditions associated with the RA procedure, such as awaiting a random access response, an ongoing RA delay trigger timer, and/or transmission of the BSR.