Cooperative Uplink Data Aggregation for Cell-Edge Mobile UEs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Wireless communication networks, particularly mobile cellular networks, struggle to provide high-speed and reliable uplink communication, especially when users are at the edge of a cell or moving at high speeds, limiting the ability to handle services like real-time high-definition video streaming and sensor data transmission in autonomous driving scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A cooperative transmission scheme where an aggregation initiating user equipment divides data into portions for itself and one or more cooperating UEs, which are then transmitted to a base station via separate paths, allowing aggregation and restoration at a target node.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If a single user equipment transmits data through a single base station, then the transmission path is simple, but the transmission rate is insufficient and reliability is low when the user is at the cell edge or moving at high speed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission rateVSAvoidtransmission path complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the transmission task by dividing data into multiple portions and assigning them to different transmitting UEs (including the initiating UE and cooperating UEs). Each UE transmits a specific data portion through potentially different base stations, thereby segmenting the overall transmission path to achieve higher aggregate transmission rates and improved reliability without requiring a single complex end-to-end path

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple transmission paths by combining data portions from multiple UEs (both direct and indirect transmissions) at the aggregation server. This merging of parallel transmission paths increases the overall transmission rate and provides redundancy, allowing the system to overcome the limitations of single-path transmission while maintaining manageable complexity through distributed coordination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Loss of time

If data is transmitted through a single path, then the system is simple to manage, but latency increases and packet loss occurs when the user is at the cell edge or moving

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission latencyVSAvoidcoordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing multiple transmission paths and pre-dividing data portions before transmission begins. The aggregation initiating UE identifies cooperating UEs and pre-arranges data portion assignments, allowing parallel transmission to start immediately without coordination delays during the actual data transfer, thereby reducing latency while managing complexity through advance preparation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds another dimension to the transmission system by introducing spatial diversity through multiple UEs and multiple base stations. Instead of optimizing a single transmission path, the system utilizes multiple simultaneous transmission dimensions, allowing data to travel through different spatial routes concurrently, which reduces latency and packet loss while the aggregation server manages the multidimensional coordination

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If multiple UEs cooperate to transmit data, then transmission reliability improves, but the coordination and aggregation complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoidaggregation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an aggregation server as an intermediary that handles the complexity of coordinating multiple UEs and base stations. The server receives data portions from various UEs, performs aggregation and restoration of original data, and manages the coordination logic centrally. This intermediary approach improves reliability through multiple transmission paths while containing aggregation complexity in a dedicated component rather than distributing it across all UEs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies self-service by enabling UEs to autonomously identify suitable cooperating UEs and establish transmission paths without extensive centralized control for each decision. The initiating UE selects cooperating UEs based on local conditions, and each UE independently manages its own data portion transmission, reducing the coordination burden on the aggregation server while maintaining high reliability through distributed intelligence

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4661488A1Electronic device, communication method, and computer readable storage medium
Publication Date: 2025.12.10 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP4661488A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4661488A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4661488A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to an electronic device, a communication method and a computer-readable storage medium. An electronic device for an aggregation initiating user equipment (UE), comprising processing circuitry configured to: obtain transmission condition information of the aggregation initiating UE and at least one aggregation cooperating UE; based on the obtained transmission condition information, divide transmission data into a first data portion to be transmitted by the aggregation initiating UE and at least one second data portion to be transmitted respectively by the at least one aggregation cooperating UE; transmit the first data portion to an aggregation server via a base station; and transmit the at least one second data portion to the at least one aggregation cooperating UE, respectively, for the aggregation cooperating UE to transmit respective second data portion to the aggregation server via the base station, wherein the first data portion and the at least one second data portion are aggregated and transmitted to a target node by the aggregation server.