Channel Access Priority Class Selection in LAA Uplink

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communications, especially with Licensed Assisted Access (LAA) in the uplink, User Equipment (UE) faces challenges in selecting the appropriate Channel Access Priority Class to ensure fair coexistence among different systems and networks, particularly due to the variability in Quality of Service Class Identifiers (QCIs) across different operators and networks.

Innovation Solution

The UE determines the Channel Access Priority Class based on the type of traffic being transmitted, such as MAC CEs, RLC control PDUs, and PDCP control PDUs, using pre-configured rules or mappings indicated by the network node, to ensure optimal channel acquisition and transmission duration, thereby ensuring fair access to the network.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If UE autonomously selects Channel Access Priority Class, then transmission flexibility is improved, but fair coexistence among different systems deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission flexibilityVSAvoidfair coexistence

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameter of channel access priority class selection from autonomous UE decision to network-configured selection. The network node provides configuration information that maps different traffic types (MAC CEs, RLC control PDUs, PDCP control PDUs) to specific priority classes, ensuring fair coexistence while maintaining transmission flexibility through traffic-type-based differentiation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The network node acts as an intermediary that mediates between multiple UEs and the unlicensed channel. By providing centralized configuration information about priority class selection based on traffic types, the network node ensures fair coexistence among different systems and UEs, preventing autonomous selection from causing unfair channel access.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If different priority classes are used for different traffic types, then channel acquisition optimization is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechannel acquisition optimizationVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the uplink traffic into different types (MAC CEs, RLC control PDUs, PDCP control PDUs) and assigns different channel access priority classes to each segment. This segmentation allows optimized channel acquisition for each traffic type while keeping the implementation relatively simple by providing clear configuration information from the network node that maps traffic types to priority classes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3634071B1Channel access priority class selection

Publication Date: 2022.10.12 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

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AI summary

According to certain embodiments, a method in a wireless device comprises determining a mapping between one or more types of traffic and one or more classes and using the mapping to determine which of the classes to use during a procedure for determining whether the wireless device can transmit in a channel. The method further comprises performing the procedure for determining whether the wireless device can transmit in the channel.