Cross-Cell SUL Scheduling for Uplink Throughput Bottlenecks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The limited number of supplementary uplink (SUL) bands defined in the 3GPP protocol restricts the ability of access network devices to improve uplink throughput rates and resource utilization in communication systems, especially when SUL bands are busy and non-SUL bands are underutilized.
Innovation Solution
The method allows the use of time division duplex (TDD) or frequency division duplex (FDD) bands defined in the 3GPP protocol as SUL bands, enabling the access network device to schedule uplink information transmission on neighboring cells with TDD or FDD bands, improving throughput rates and resource utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the access network device schedules uplink information transmission only on SUL bands defined in 3GPP protocol, then the uplink throughput rate can be improved, but the number of available SUL bands is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables TDD and FDD bands to serve dual purposes: their original function and SUL function. By configuring neighboring cell bands as SUL bands, the system allows these bands to be used for both their primary communication function and as supplementary uplink resources, effectively increasing the number of available SUL bands without adding dedicated SUL infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the SUL band selection from the traditional single-cell dimension to a multi-cell dimension. Instead of limiting SUL bands to those within the serving cell, the system leverages bands from neighboring cells, adding a spatial dimension to SUL resource allocation and significantly expanding the pool of available uplink resources.
2Productivity
If the access network device uses only configured SUL bands for uplink transmission, then uplink throughput can be improved, but resource utilization in the communication system is low when non-SUL bands are underutilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent recovers underutilized resources by redirecting them to useful purposes. When non-SUL bands (particularly TDD and FDD bands) are underutilized, the system dynamically configures them as SUL bands, effectively recovering idle or underutilized spectral resources and putting them to productive use for uplink transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic SUL band configuration that adapts to real-time network conditions. The access network device can flexibly configure and reconfigure SUL bands based on current traffic patterns, channel conditions, and resource utilization metrics, allowing the system to respond dynamically to changing demands and optimize resource allocation.
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~7
Figure 8~10
AI summary
A communication method and apparatus, relating to the field of communication technologies, are provided, to improve uplink throughput rates of a cell and a user, and further improve resource utilization. In this application, the method includes: An access network device determines a band of a second cell that can be used as an SUL band of a first UE; and the access network device sends scheduling information to the first UE, where the scheduling information indicates the first UE to send uplink information on the band of the second cell in an SUL communication manner, where a serving cell of the first UE is a first cell, the second cell is a neighboring cell of the first cell, and the band of the second cell is a TDD band or an FDD band.