Cascaded Multi-Connectivity Scheduling for Latency and Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-connectivity (MC) schemes in wireless communication systems lack efficient methods to enhance latency and reliability, particularly in supporting emerging applications like industrial control and V2X-services, as they often rely on a single scheduling scheme over multiple paths.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that utilize a cascaded multi-connectivity approach by applying different scheduling schemes in consecutive processing stages, adapting configurations based on data traffic requirements and channel conditions, creating 'virtual' communication channels to optimize latency and reliability through load balancing, packet duplication, and packet splitting across multiple communication channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single scheduling scheme is used over multiple paths in existing MC systems, then the system structure remains simple, but latency and reliability performance cannot be sufficiently enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the scheduling function into multiple consecutive processing stages, where each stage applies a different scheduling scheme (e.g., Load Balancing, Packet Duplication, Packet Splitting) to different portions of the data stream. This segmentation allows the system to leverage the strengths of multiple scheduling approaches without requiring a single complex unified scheduler, thereby improving reliability while managing complexity through modular stage-based processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic scheduling by allowing the configuration of processing stages to be adapted based on channel conditions and data traffic requirements. The system can dynamically select and configure different scheduling schemes at different stages according to real-time network conditions, enabling flexible optimization of reliability and latency without being constrained by a fixed single-scheme approach.
2Loss of time
If multiple scheduling schemes are applied in consecutive processing stages, then latency and reliability are enhanced, but the configuration complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple processing stages with different scheduling schemes before data transmission begins. Each stage is prepared in advance with its specific scheduling configuration (Load Balancing, Packet Duplication, or Packet Splitting), allowing the system to immediately apply optimized multi-scheme processing when data arrives, thereby reducing latency while managing configuration complexity through advance preparation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by allowing the configuration of processing stages to be adjusted based on channel conditions and traffic requirements. Different parameters such as the number of parallel paths, duplication factors, and splitting ratios can be dynamically modified across stages to optimize latency performance while adapting to varying network conditions, thus managing complexity through parameter-based flexibility rather than structural changes.
3Reliability
If packet duplication is used to improve reliability, then more redundant transmissions are sent, but channel resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the data stream and applies Packet Duplication selectively at specific processing stages rather than duplicating entire packets across all paths. By dividing the data into segments and applying duplication only where needed in the cascaded stages, the system improves reliability through targeted redundancy while reducing overall channel resource consumption compared to full packet duplication approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by using Packet Duplication selectively rather than universally across all data transmissions. The system applies duplication only at certain processing stages and for specific data portions where reliability enhancement is most beneficial, thereby achieving improved transmission reliability while consuming fewer channel resources than complete duplication of all packets would require.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided a method that comprises: receiving (102) or determining an input data stream (A); propagating (104) the input data stream (A) through a plurality of consecutive input processing stages (S10, S11); and transmitting (106) a plurality of output data streams (C1, C2, C3, C4) provided at the output section (OUT_10) via a plurality of communication channels (Ch1, Ch2, Ch3, Ch4).