Base Station Control for D2D Unicast Resource Allocation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current cellular communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing unicast communication between user equipment (UE) in device-to-device (D2D) communication scenarios, as existing methods do not effectively address the need for base station control over resource allocation for unicast D2D communications, leading to suboptimal spectrum utilization and increased network load.

Innovation Solution

The method involves user equipment (UE) obtaining communication resources from a base station by entering specific communication states and requesting resources based on their Radio Resource Control (RRC) status, allowing the base station to control resource allocation for unicast D2D communications, either by broadcasting system information blocks (SIB) or by entering connected states to request resources directly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If user equipment directly communicates with each other in D2D mode without base station control, then communication efficiency is improved and spectrum utilization is increased, but resource allocation management becomes difficult and network load control deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidresource allocation management
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The base station acts as an intermediary that provides semi-automatic resource allocation for D2D unicast communication. When UE is in RRC connected state, the base station allocates resources automatically; when in RRC idle state, the UE autonomously selects resources from pre-configured pools. This hybrid approach maintains base station control while enabling efficient D2D communication.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If user equipment in RRC idle state autonomously selects communication resources, then response speed is improved and base station load is reduced, but resource allocation optimization deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource acquisition timeVSAvoidspectrum efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The base station performs preliminary configuration by pre-defining resource pools for D2D communication before UE enters idle state. This allows UE to quickly autonomously select resources from pre-configured pools without real-time base station intervention, reducing resource acquisition time while maintaining spectral efficiency through pre-optimized resource structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If base station controls resource allocation for all D2D communications, then resource allocation optimization is improved and spectrum efficiency is increased, but network load increases and response time deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespectrum efficiencyVSAvoidresource allocation time
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts resource allocation mode based on UE's RRC state. In RRC connected state, full base station control is applied for optimized resource allocation. In RRC idle state, the system switches to autonomous selection mode for faster response. This dynamic switching resolves the contradiction between control optimization and response speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

4Device complexity

If D2D unicast communication resources are not separately managed, then system complexity is reduced, but resource interference increases and communication reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidcommunication reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments D2D communication resources into distinct pools for unicast and multicast transmissions. Separate resource pools prevent interference between different communication types. The base station manages unicast resource pools while multicast uses dedicated resources, ensuring reliable communication without excessive system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3346782B1Communication control method, user equipment, and base station
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3346782B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2a
  • EP3346782B1 patent drawingFigure 2b~2c
  • EP3346782B1 patent drawingFigure 2d~2e

AI summary

The present invention provides a method for controlling communication, user equipment, and a base station. The method includes: obtaining, by user equipment from a base station when needing to perform first communication, a first communication resource required for the first communication, where the obtaining, by user equipment from a base station, a first communication resource required for the first communication includes: obtaining, if the user equipment is in an RRC idle state, the first communication resource by receiving a SIB broadcast by the base station; or entering an RRC connected state if the user equipment is in an RRC idle state, and sending a first communication resource request to the base station, where the first communication resource request is used to request the base station to allocate the first communication resource; or sending a first communication resource request to the base station if the user equipment is in an RRC connected state, where the first communication resource request is used to request the base station to allocate the first communication resource. In this way, a coverage base station controls resource allocation for first communication of user equipment.