Central Unit Early Data Communication Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G NR radio access networks, managing early data communication in inactive or idle states is challenging due to uncertainty about distributed base station units' capabilities, leading to difficulties in configuring appropriate communication settings for user equipment.
Innovation Solution
A method where the central unit of a distributed base station determines the capabilities of the distributed unit and user equipment to decide on configuration settings for early data communication, including support for specific functions like configured grants and repetitions, ensuring appropriate settings are included in messages to the user equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the CU configures early data communication without knowing DU capabilities, then configuration may be incompatible with DU support, but acquiring capability information adds communication overhead and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The DU sends capability information to the CU in advance, before the CU needs to configure early data communication. This preliminary action ensures the CU has the necessary capability data ready when configuration is needed, eliminating the need for real-time capability queries and reducing communication overhead during actual data transmission setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The capability information acts as an intermediary data structure that bridges the CU and DU. The DU provides its capabilities through this intermediary mechanism (F1 interface messages), allowing the CU to make informed configuration decisions without direct real-time interaction with the DU, thus simplifying the overall system complexity.
2Productivity
If the UE transitions to RRC_CONNECTED state for data transmission, then full communication capabilities are available, but transmission latency increases and energy consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables partial data transmission functionality by allowing early data communication in the RRC_INACTIVE state. Instead of requiring the full RRC_CONNECTED state for all data transmissions, the system permits limited data exchange (up to a configured size) while remaining in the lower-power inactive state, thus achieving sufficient functionality without the complete state transition.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the UE by configuring specific early data communication parameters (such as maximum data size, resource allocations) while in the RRC_INACTIVE state. This allows the UE to transmit data with modified parameters that are appropriate for the inactive state, avoiding the need to transition to the full connected state.
3Productivity
If the CU includes early data communication configuration in RRCRelease message, then UE can transmit data in inactive state, but the configuration may not match DU capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The CU acquires DU capability information in advance through preliminary communication with the DU (via F1 interface). This preliminary acquisition of capability data ensures that when the CU later includes early data communication configuration in the RRCRelease message, the configuration is based on verified DU capabilities, guaranteeing compatibility and validity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the DU provides capability information back to the CU. This feedback loop ensures the CU has accurate information about DU capabilities, allowing it to make informed decisions about what early data communication configurations to include in messages to the UE, thus ensuring configuration validity.
Data Source
AI summary
A central unit (CU) of a distributed base station, the distributed base station including the CU and a distributed unit (DU), can implement a method for managing early data communication with a user equipment (UE). The method may include: determining (2202) whether the DU supports early data communication with a UE; determining (2204) whether to include a configuration for performing early data communication in a message to the UE based at least in part on whether the DU supports early data communication; and transmitting (2206) the message to the UE.