Downlink Scheduling Weights Delay and Channel Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current downlink scheduling methods in communications networks often fail to balance resource allocation effectively between terminal devices with varying channel conditions and application requirements, leading to inefficiencies such as excessive delay and unfair resource distribution.
Innovation Solution
A network node and method that adaptively weights user-specific delay, channel conditions, and throughput to determine a scalar metric for each terminal device, prioritizing real-time and channel-quality-critical applications while ensuring fair resource allocation and minimizing scheduling delay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If maximum CQI scheduling is used to allocate resources based on channel conditions, then terminal devices with good channel conditions receive more resources, but terminal devices with worst channel conditions are assigned inadequate resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the scheduling parameter from pure CQI-based allocation to a composite metric that incorporates delay information. By introducing delay as a new parameter in the scheduling decision, the system can balance channel conditions with fairness requirements, ensuring that terminal devices with poor channel conditions still receive adequate resources based on their delay characteristics and historical performance.
2Reliability
If Round Robin scheduling is used to distribute equal resources to each terminal device, then resource fairness is achieved, but terminal devices with unequal channel conditions receive suboptimal allocation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic scheduling by incorporating delay information and historical throughput data into the resource allocation decision. Instead of static equal distribution, the system dynamically adjusts resource allocation based on real-time delay metrics and terminal device performance, allowing the scheduler to adapt to changing channel conditions while maintaining fairness.
3Loss of time
If scheduling prioritizes real-time critical applications, then latency is reduced for such applications, but non-real time critical applications may experience resource starvation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms by collecting delay information and historical throughput data from terminal devices. This feedback is used to construct a scalar metric that reflects both real-time requirements and overall performance needs. The scheduler uses this feedback to make informed decisions that balance urgent real-time traffic with the throughput needs of non-real-time applications.
4Productivity
If complex scheduling algorithms are used to optimize resource allocation, then scheduling performance improves, but computational complexity and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent simplifies the scheduling algorithm by transforming multiple complex parameters (channel conditions, delay requirements, throughput needs) into a single scalar metric. This parameter transformation reduces computational complexity while maintaining scheduling performance, as the scheduler only needs to compare scalar values rather than evaluating complex multi-dimensional criteria.
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided mechanisms for downlink scheduling of terminal devices. A method is performed by a network node. The method comprises obtaining user-specific delay and user-specific channel conditions per scheduling opportunity for each of the terminal devices to be scheduled. The method comprises scheduling, in each scheduling opportunity, the terminal devices according to an order. The order is determined by individually weighting the user-specific delay and individually weighting the user-specific channel conditions for each terminal device to be scheduled.