Cooperative Uplink Scheduling Using Radio Quality Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cooperative group communication in D2D networks can lead to increased power consumption among devices, which may not significantly contribute to overall performance, thus draining their batteries without providing substantial benefits.

Innovation Solution

Implement a cooperative scheduling method that includes transmitting a minimum radio quality threshold to group devices, allowing them to compare their quality and participate in uplink transmissions only if above the threshold, or receive indications to save energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If all group devices participate in cooperative uplink transmissions, then network coverage and reliability are improved, but power consumption increases significantly for devices with poor radio quality

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork coverageVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by selecting only a subset of group devices that meet the minimum radio quality threshold to participate in cooperative transmissions. Instead of requiring all devices to transmit, the system identifies and activates only those devices with sufficient signal quality (above threshold T_q), thereby achieving reliable network coverage while avoiding excessive power consumption from devices with poor radio conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the participation parameter from binary (all-or-nothing) to conditional based on radio quality threshold. By introducing a dynamic threshold T_q that devices compare against their measured radio quality Q_ue, the system transforms the participation criterion into a continuous parameter-based selection mechanism, enabling optimal balance between coverage reliability and energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If devices with poor radio quality participate in transmissions, then more devices contribute to the cooperative transmission, but the overall transmission efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidnumber of participating devices

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by requiring different participation criteria for different devices based on their individual radio quality characteristics. Each device UE evaluates its own local radio quality Q_ue against the threshold T_q, ensuring that only devices with locally sufficient quality contribute to transmissions. This prevents devices with poor local quality from degrading overall transmission efficiency while still allowing multiple qualified devices to participate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Use of energy by moving object

If a minimum radio quality threshold is enforced for participation, then power consumption is reduced for low-quality devices, but the coordination complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidcoordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by enabling each group device to autonomously evaluate its own radio quality Q_ue and compare it against the threshold T_q without requiring complex centralized coordination. Each device independently determines its participation status based on local measurements and the threshold, significantly reducing coordination complexity while still achieving power consumption optimization for low-quality devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

4Ease of operation

If devices autonomously decide participation based on quality threshold, then individual device control is improved, but consistent group transmission coordination becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice autonomyVSAvoidgroup transmission consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies equipotentiality by establishing a common reference threshold T_q that all group devices use for their autonomous quality assessments. This shared threshold creates an equipotential decision-making plane where all devices operate from the same quality standard, ensuring that autonomous individual decisions collectively result in consistent and coordinated group transmission behavior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #12Equipotentiality

Data Source

PatentUS20260059423A1Power efficient transmission and scheduling of cooperative devices in the uplink

Publication Date: 2026.02.26 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A user equipment, UE, method, computer program, and computer program product for scheduling a group data transmission in a group of devices referred to as group devices is provided. The method includes transmitting data to the group devices over a sidelink at a first time. The method includes transmitting a minimum radio quality threshold to the group devices with the data for each group device to compare the group device's quality to the minimum radio quality threshold at a coordinated transmission time. The method includes cooperatively transmitting the data towards a network node at the coordinated transmission time based on the group device quality being above the minimum radio quality threshold on either a configured grant or a dynamically scheduled grant. An analogous network node, method, computer program, and computer program product are also provided.