Buffer Status Report Format for IAB Network Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing Buffer Status Report (BSR) formats in IAB networks are inadequate for reporting buffer status when there are many Logical Channel Groups (LCGs), leading to increased overhead and inefficiency, as they are designed for a single UE and do not fit the requirements of multi-UE scenarios in IAB networks.
Innovation Solution
A method for determining and using a BSR format that indicates a range of LCGs, allowing for efficient reporting by including total and individual LCG buffer sizes, bitmaps, and segment information, which reduces overhead and improves reporting efficiency across multiple UEs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing BSR formats designed for single UE are used in IAB networks, then the reporting structure is simple and familiar, but the overhead increases and efficiency decreases when reporting buffer status for many LCGs across multiple UEs
Solution Approach 1:
The BSR format is segmented into multiple parts: a first part indicating a range of LCGs (using start LCG ID and end LCG ID), and a second part containing buffer status information only for LCGs within that range. This segmentation allows the network to request buffer status for specific LCG ranges, reducing the amount of data that needs to be reported compared to reporting all LCGs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and reports only the necessary buffer status information for a specific range of LCGs indicated by the network, rather than reporting buffer status for all LCGs. The BSR MAC CE includes only buffer status for LCGs within the indicated range, eliminating redundant information and reducing overhead.
2Adaptability or versatility
If BSR formats are extended to support many LCGs, then reporting capability improves, but the complexity of the format increases
Solution Approach 1:
The BSR format is made dynamic and configurable through RRC parameters. The network can configure the maximum number of LCGs to be reported, the start and end LCG IDs for the range, and other parameters dynamically. This allows the format to adapt to different scenarios without being overly complex for all cases.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces configurable parameters such as maximum number of LCGs, start LCG ID, end LCG ID, and buffer size field length. These parameters can be adjusted through RRC configuration to match the specific needs of different IAB network scenarios, providing versatility without fixed complexity.
3Loss of information
If all LCG buffer statuses are reported for every UE, then complete information is provided, but the message size and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs partial action by indicating a specific range of LCGs for which buffer status is needed, rather than requesting information for all LCGs. The UE responds with buffer status only for the indicated range, providing sufficient information for scheduling decisions without the overhead of complete reporting.
Solution Approach 2:
The network provides feedback through downlink RRC messages indicating the desired LCG range, and the UE provides feedback through uplink BSR reports containing buffer status for that range. This bidirectional feedback mechanism ensures information completeness for the required scope while minimizing overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides, for example, a method performed by a first network node for handling BSRs in a communications system. The method includes determining a format for a BSR, wherein the determined format indicates that the BSR includes a LCG range; creating the BSR with the determined format; and providing the created BSR with the determined format to a second network node.