Priority-Based Channel Preemption in D2D Wireless Communication

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In device-to-device wireless communication, existing methods for allocating communication resources in uncoordinated access schemes fail to effectively reduce collisions and prioritize high-priority users or transmissions, especially in scenarios where network coverage is limited or unavailable.

Innovation Solution

A method where user equipment determines the priority of active users and transmissions, and only requests resource allocation if its priority is higher, using pre-emption signals and predefined preamble signatures to allocate resources efficiently, ensuring that higher priority users can preempt lower priority users and transmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If uncoordinated access is used to allow autonomous resource allocation in device-to-device communication, then network coverage requirements are reduced and flexibility is improved, but collision probability increases and resource allocation efficiency deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork coverage flexibilityVSAvoidcollision probability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The transmitting UE performs preliminary actions by sending an announcement message before actual data transmission to reserve the communication channel. This preliminary reservation reduces the probability of collision by informing other UEs of the intended resource usage in advance, while maintaining the uncoordinated access flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a cushioning mechanism by requiring UEs to send announcement messages that reserve channels beforehand. This creates a protective buffer that prevents collisions by notifying other potential transmitters of the reserved resources, reducing collision probability while maintaining autonomous access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Reliability

If CSMA/CA protocol is used to reduce collisions through RTS/CTS handshaking, then collision avoidance is improved, but device complexity increases and the protocol cannot be directly applied to broadcast links

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidanceVSAvoidprotocol complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and adapts only the essential collision avoidance concept from CSMA/CA, implementing a simplified announcement-based reservation mechanism. Instead of the full RTS/CTS handshake protocol, the system uses unidirectional announcement messages that reserve channels without requiring complex bidirectional handshaking, reducing device complexity while maintaining collision avoidance benefits.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of using the conventional CSMA/CA approach where the receiver sends CTS/ACK signals back to the transmitter, the invention inverts the approach by having the transmitter send announcement messages to reserve the channel unidirectionally. This inversion simplifies the protocol for broadcast links where multiple receivers exist and traditional ACK mechanisms are impractical.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Productivity

If all communication channels are currently in use by lower priority users, then resource utilization is maximized, but high priority users cannot communicate and service quality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidservice quality for high priority users
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements dynamic priority-based channel allocation where the announcement message includes priority information. When a high-priority UE wants to communicate, it can preempt lower-priority channel usage by sending its announcement message, which causes lower-priority UEs to release their reserved channels. This dynamic mechanism ensures resource utilization is maintained while allowing high-priority services to obtain channels when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameter of channel allocation from static to dynamic by incorporating priority levels in the announcement messages. The system monitors priority parameters and allows parameter changes in channel assignment based on urgency, enabling high-priority users to displace lower-priority users from channels while maintaining overall resource utilization through continuous reuse by available UEs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Reliability

If transmitting UE sends announcement message on a separate channel to reserve resources, then collision avoidance is improved, but resource overhead increases and half-duplex constraints are violated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollision avoidanceVSAvoidresource overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The invention merges the announcement message transmission with the data transmission by allowing the announcement to be sent on the same communication channel that will be used for data transfer. This combining eliminates the need for separate reservation channels, reducing resource overhead while maintaining collision avoidance through the announcement mechanism. The half-duplex constraint is satisfied as the UE transmits the announcement and then receives acknowledgments or proceeds with data transmission in sequence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2903364B1Prioritising requests for communication resources for device to device wireless communication
Publication Date: 2017.05.03 ALCATEL LUCENT SA
  • EP2903364B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2903364B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2903364B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A method of requesting a communication channel for use by a user equipment for broadcasting data to at least one further user equipment when all of a plurality of communication channels configured for direct user equipment to user equipment communication are currently being used, wherein each of the plurality of communication channels is a half duplex channel and each of the plurality of communication channels has an associated preamble identifying a block of transmission resources comprising the communication channel. The method comprises: determining a priority of an active user equipment currently broadcasting data to other user equipment using one of the plurality of communication channels; and in response to detecting that the priority is lower than a current priority of the user equipment, transmitting a request for use of the one of the plurality of communication channels.