Downlink Scheduling via Pre-Scheduling Message Exchange

Solution Overview

Problem

Unilateral scheduling of downlink transmissions by base stations or Wi-Fi access points in wireless communication systems often leads to increased non-acknowledgements (NAKs), undesired power use, interference, and other issues in user equipment (UEs), particularly when UEs operate in multi-connectivity modes, face internal or external interference, or have unknown power saving profiles.

Innovation Solution

The exchange of pre-scheduling and scheduling messages between base stations or Wi-Fi access points and UEs allows UEs to specify or restrict aspects of downlink transmissions, such as radio, carrier, time, frequency, and modulation and coding scheme restrictions, enabling more controlled and coordinated scheduling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If base stations perform unilateral scheduling of downlink transmissions, then scheduling control and resource allocation are simplified, but non-acknowledgements increase and transmission reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescheduling control complexityVSAvoiddownlink transmission reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where UEs send scheduling feedback messages to base stations, providing information about their scheduling preferences, channel conditions, and interference levels. This feedback loop enables base stations to adjust their scheduling decisions dynamically, improving transmission reliability while maintaining reasonable scheduling control complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a pre-scheduling phase where UEs transmit pre-scheduling messages to base stations before actual downlink transmissions. These messages contain advance information about UE preferences, power saving requirements, and radio availability, allowing base stations to plan transmissions more effectively and reduce NAKs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If base stations perform unilateral scheduling of downlink transmissions, then scheduling decision speed is improved, but power consumption increases due to interference and retransmissions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescheduling decision speedVSAvoidUE power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a pre-scheduling phase where UEs transmit pre-scheduling messages to base stations before actual downlink transmissions. These messages contain advance information about UE preferences, power saving requirements, and radio availability, allowing base stations to plan transmissions more effectively and reduce NAKs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where UEs send scheduling feedback messages to base stations, providing information about their scheduling preferences, channel conditions, and interference levels. This feedback loop enables base stations to adjust their scheduling decisions dynamically, improving transmission reliability while maintaining reasonable scheduling control complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If base stations perform unilateral scheduling of downlink transmissions, then scheduling overhead is reduced, but interference increases due to lack of coordination with UE conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvescheduling information overheadVSAvoidinterference level

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a pre-scheduling phase where UEs transmit pre-scheduling messages to base stations before actual downlink transmissions. These messages contain advance information about UE preferences, power saving requirements, and radio availability, allowing base stations to plan transmissions more effectively and reduce NAKs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where UEs send scheduling feedback messages to base stations, providing information about their scheduling preferences, channel conditions, and interference levels. This feedback loop enables base stations to adjust their scheduling decisions dynamically, improving transmission reliability while maintaining reasonable scheduling control complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3664561B1Scheduling of downlink transmissions based on exchanges of pre-scheduling and scheduling messages

Publication Date: 2022.07.13 QUALCOMM INC

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5

AI summary

Techniques are described for wireless communication. An exemplary method includes receiving, at a first device, a pre-scheduling message for a downlink transmission from a second device; transmitting a scheduling message to the second device in response to receiving the pre-scheduling message; and receiving the downlink transmission in accordance with the at least one downlink transmission parameter of the scheduling message. The scheduling message may include at least one downlink transmission parameter. Another exemplary method includes transmitting, to a first device, a pre-scheduling message for a downlink transmission; receiving, from the first device, a scheduling message comprising at least one downlink transmission parameter; and transmitting the downlink transmission to the first device in accordance with the at least one downlink transmission parameter of the scheduling message.