Configured Grant Prioritization for URLLC Determinism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication networks face challenges in efficiently multiplexing Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications (URLLC) and Mobile Broadband (MBB) traffic types, leading to reduced performance due to dynamic UL grants overriding configured grants, which disrupts determinism in URLLC transmissions and increases complexity for the gNB.
Innovation Solution
The UE prioritizes UL transmissions of configured periodic grants over dynamic UL grants based on logical channel prioritization, ensuring that URLLC transmissions are not interrupted, allowing for efficient handling of both traffic types without interfering with deterministic latency requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If dynamic UL grants are used to schedule MBB traffic, then resource utilization efficiency is improved, but URLLC transmission determinism deteriorates due to grant overriding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic grant freezing mechanism where the gNB can dynamically freeze configured grants during UL transmission occasions. This allows the system to adapt between two states: normal operation where dynamic grants override configured grants for efficient resource utilization, and frozen state where configured grants are protected to ensure URLLC determinism. The dynamic switching between these states resolves the contradiction between resource efficiency and transmission reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses preliminary configuration of granted UL resources where configured grants are pre-allocated for URLLC traffic before actual transmission needs arise. By pre-configuring these resources with higher priority markings and establishing freeze mechanisms in advance, the system ensures that when URLLC data arrives, the resources are already reserved and protected from dynamic grant overrides, thus maintaining determinism while allowing efficient dynamic scheduling for non-critical traffic during normal operation.
2Reliability
If configured periodic UL grants are prioritized over dynamic UL grants, then URLLC transmission reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to prioritization logic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the UL grant handling logic into distinct modules: configured grant management module, dynamic grant management module, prioritization decision module, and freeze control module. Each module has a specific function - configured grants are managed separately from dynamic grants, with clear priority rules and freeze mechanisms. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity by localizing the prioritization logic to specific modules rather than requiring complex interleaved decision-making throughout the scheduling apparatus.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary freeze mechanism that mediates between configured grants and dynamic grants. The freeze indicator acts as an intermediary signal that temporarily suspends the normal override behavior. When the freeze indicator is active, it mediates to protect configured grants from being overridden by dynamic grants. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the prioritization logic by providing a clear on/off switch rather than requiring continuous complex priority calculations for every grant interaction.
3Adaptability or versatility
If dynamic UL grants override configured grants, then scheduling flexibility is improved, but transmission interruption occurs for URLLC traffic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic grant freezing where the override behavior is made dynamic rather than static. The system can switch between two operational modes: normal mode where dynamic grants override configured grants providing scheduling flexibility, and frozen mode where configured grants are protected ensuring URLLC transmission continuity. The freeze indicator dynamically controls this behavior based on network conditions and traffic requirements, allowing the system to adapt between flexibility and reliability as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by preemptively freezing configured grants before dynamic grants can cause interruptions. When URLLC traffic is detected or predicted, the gNB sets the freeze indicator in advance to prevent any dynamic grant from overriding the configured grant. This preliminary protective action counteracts the potential harmful effect of dynamic grant overrides before they can occur, ensuring continuous URLLC transmission while maintaining scheduling flexibility for non-critical traffic during normal operation.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments herein relate to e.g. a method performed by a user equipment, (UE) for communicating in a wireless communication network, wherein the UE is configured with one or more periodic uplink, UL, grants indicating one or more UL resources to use for one or more UL transmissions. The UE receives a dynamic UL grant for an UL transmission; and prioritizes an UL transmission of the one or more configured periodic UL grants over an UL transmission of the dynamic UL grant under a condition that there is UL data to be transmitted on the one or more configured periodic UL grants according to a logical channel prioritization procedure.