Cellular Network Management via Direct-Link Radio Channels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cellular radio communications networks face inefficiencies in managing multi-service support across different radio cells with varying numerology capabilities, leading to increased communication overhead and delays due to the need for multiple modulation and demodulation block lengths and infrastructure support.

Innovation Solution

A method that receives numerology capability indications and cell indications from radio devices to determine instruction messages for establishing direct-link radio channels, reducing the need for infrastructure support and enabling data transfer through physical direct-link channels with smaller block lengths, thereby minimizing delay and enhancing data reliability and speed.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If data traffic is transmitted through physical direct-link radio channels between radio devices, then delay is reduced and data speed is increased, but communication overhead and infrastructure complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata speedVSAvoidinfrastructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The network infrastructure device acts as an intermediary that receives numerology capability indications from radio devices, determines appropriate instruction messages based on these capabilities and cell indications, and transmits the instructions to establish direct-link channels. This mediator approach enables direct device-to-device communication while maintaining network control and coordination, thus reducing delay and improving data speed without requiring complex peer-to-peer infrastructure between devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes numerology parameters (block lengths for modulation/demodulation) based on the specific service requirements and device capabilities. By receiving numerology capability indications and determining appropriate block lengths, the system optimizes transmission parameters for direct-link channels, achieving higher data speeds and reduced delay while adapting to different service use cases and device configurations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple modulation and demodulation block lengths are supported for different services, then multi-service support is improved, but communication overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-service supportVSAvoidcommunication overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts numerology parameters based on service requirements and device capabilities. Rather than supporting all possible block lengths simultaneously across all devices, the network infrastructure determines appropriate numerology configurations dynamically for each direct-link connection based on the specific service use case, device numerology capabilities, and cell indications, thereby achieving multi-service support without excessive communication overhead

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary determination of numerology configurations by receiving capability indications from devices before establishing direct-link communication. The network infrastructure device uses these pre-exchanged capability information and cell indications to determine appropriate instruction messages in advance, avoiding the need for continuous negotiation and reducing communication overhead during actual data transmission

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If discovery protocols with broadcasting or probing are implemented for direct link establishment, then direct link connectivity is improved, but communication overhead in radio cells increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirect link connectivityVSAvoidcommunication overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary exchange of numerology capability indications and cell indications between radio devices and the network infrastructure before establishing direct-link communication. This advance information exchange enables the network to determine appropriate transmission parameters and establish direct links without requiring devices to perform time-consuming broadcasting or probing procedures, thereby improving connectivity reliability while minimizing communication overhead in the radio cells

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11297665B2Method for managing a cellular radio communications network, a management device, a method to operate a first radio device, a first radio device, a method to operate a second radio device, and a second radio device

Publication Date: 2022.04.05 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

AI summary

A method for managing a cellular radio communications network is proposed. The method comprises: receiving (102) a plurality of numerology capability indications from a plurality of radio devices, wherein a numerology capability indication comprises one or more direct-link block lengths for communicating via a physical direct-link radio channel; receiving a plurality of cell indications, wherein the cell indication indicates in which radio cell the respective radio device is operating; determining an instruction message in dependence on the numerology indications of the first and second radio device and in dependence on the cell indication of the first and second radio device; and transmitting the instruction message towards at least one of the first and second radio devices.