Buffer Status Report Format for Dual Connectivity Uplink
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 3GPP LTE networks, the lack of a standard for splitting bearers at the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer for uplink data transfers leads to inefficient allocation of uplink resources due to combined RLC and PDCP buffer sizes in legacy buffer status reports (BSRs), resulting in redundant requests and network inefficiency.
Innovation Solution
Introducing new BSR formats with separate fields for RLC and PDCP buffer sizes and a redundancy indicator (RI) value to enable efficient coordination of uplink grants between master and secondary evolved node Bs, allowing precise allocation of resources for PDCP data without redundancy assumptions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If legacy buffer status reports combine RLC and PDCP buffer sizes into a single field, then the report format remains simple, but uplink resource allocation becomes inefficient and redundant
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the buffer status report into separate fields for RLC buffer size and PDCP buffer size. This segmentation allows the network to distinguish between different buffer types and allocate uplink resources accordingly, eliminating redundant allocations while maintaining manageable report structure through organized field separation
2Device complexity
If the network assumes redundancy between MeNB and SeNB uplink requests, then resource allocation is simplified, but network inefficiency increases due to redundant allocations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a redundancy indicator field in the BSR that provides feedback about redundant requests to the network. This feedback mechanism enables the network to understand which uplink requests are redundant and adjust resource allocation accordingly, reducing unnecessary allocations while maintaining coordination between MeNB and SeNB
Data Source
AI summary
Technology for efficiently splitting a bearer at the packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer for uplink (UL) data transfers in wireless networks where dual connectivity is available is disclosed. A user equipment (UE) can send buffer status reports (BSRs) to a master evolved node B (MeNB) and a secondary evolved node B (SeNB). The BSRs can be formatted such that the amount of data in a radio link control (RLC) buffer at the UE and the amount of data in a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) buffer at the UE are contained in different fields. The BSRs can also contain redundancy indicator (RI) values specifying a redundancy level between the PDCP buffer amounts included in the BSRS. The MeNB and the SeNB may then coordinate, via an X2 interface, an amount of uplink (UL) resources to allocate to the UE.