D2D Priority Indicator in Scheduling Assignments

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current device-to-device (D2D) communication systems lack a mechanism to prioritize communications effectively, especially in scenarios where network resources are scarce, leading to challenges in managing high-priority data transmissions amidst high traffic conditions.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a priority indicator system that allows UEs to signal and receive priority levels within scheduling assignments (SAs), enabling high-priority data to be sent even when network resources are full, and allowing receivers to prioritize D2D data reception over other operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If D2D communication shares the same spectrum as cellular system with reserved uplink resources, then spectrum efficiency is improved and flexibility is increased, but resource contention and interference increase leading to difficulty in prioritizing high-priority communications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectrum sharing flexibilityVSAvoidresource contention and interference
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by introducing priority indicators that differentiate the characteristics of specific D2D communication transmissions. Each SA message can carry priority information that locally identifies high-priority communications, allowing receivers to selectively prioritize decoding based on the specific transmission's priority level rather than treating all D2D communications uniformly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter space of D2D communications by adding priority indicator parameters to SA messages. This allows the system to dynamically adjust the importance level of transmissions, enabling receivers to modify their decoding behavior based on priority parameters. High-priority communications can be identified and processed preferentially through these parameter changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If connectionless D2D communication is used to reduce overhead and increase capacity, then communication efficiency is improved, but ability to ensure reliable delivery of high-priority data deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication capacityVSAvoidhigh-priority data delivery reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by embedding priority indicators in SA messages before the actual data transmission occurs. This allows receivers to pre-configure their reception behavior based on the priority information received in advance, ensuring that high-priority transmissions are prepared for and can be reliably decoded even in connectionless mode.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback through the priority indicator mechanism in SA messages. Receivers can monitor priority indicators and adjust their reception and decoding strategies accordingly, providing a feedback loop that enhances reliability for high-priority communications while maintaining the efficiency of connectionless operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Device complexity

If scheduling assignments are communicated on sparse dedicated resources, then resource allocation is simplified, but ability to support prioritized communications among multiple UEs deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescheduling complexityVSAvoidpriority management capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the SA message structure into distinct components, including a priority indicator field. This segmentation allows the priority information to be independently processed and acted upon without complicating the overall SA communication mechanism, maintaining simplicity while adding priority management capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the SA message structure universal by designing it to carry both traditional scheduling information and priority indicators in a unified format. This multi-functionality allows the same sparse dedicated resources to support both basic scheduling and priority-based differentiation without requiring separate resource allocations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If all UEs monitor SAs to decode D2D data, then reception reliability is improved, but energy consumption and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reception reliabilityVSAvoidUE energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by enabling UEs to selectively decode only those SA messages that indicate high-priority communications. Instead of all UEs monitoring and decoding all SAs, receivers can use priority indicators to filter and focus their processing effort only on relevant high-priority transmissions, reducing overall energy consumption and processing overhead while maintaining reliability for important data.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3141073B1Methods, apparatus, and systems for determining communication priority
Publication Date: 2019.12.11 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP3141073B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3141073B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3141073B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method includes determining, by a network device, a priority for communicating data. The method further includes determining a priority indicator based on the determined priority. The method further includes communicating, by the network device, the priority indicator included within a scheduling assignment (SA) to a data transmitter. The method further includes communicating, by the network device, the data. The data has a priority level that exceeds a predetermined priority threshold.