Dual-Bound Flow Control for Wireless Network Nodes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dual connectivity in communication networks lacks efficient flow control mechanisms, particularly for split bearers, leading to underutilization of radio resources and potential buffer overflow/underflow issues, as existing methods only provide upper bounds for buffer sizes without considering lower bounds or dynamic control.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a novel flow control mechanism where the Secondary eNB reports both a minimum and maximum data amount to the Master eNB for each UE and E-RAB, interpreted as lower and upper bounds respectively, to prevent buffer underflow and overflow, ensuring efficient resource utilization and dynamic flow control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If only upper bounds for buffer sizes are provided in flow control, then buffer overflow can be prevented, but buffer underflow occurs and radio resources are underutilized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the flow control parameters from single-bound (upper bound only) to dual-bound (lower and upper bounds). The lower bound parameter prevents buffer underflow by ensuring minimum data availability, while the upper bound parameter prevents buffer overflow. This parameter expansion resolves the contradiction by adding a new dimension to flow control that simultaneously addresses both reliability and productivity concerns.
2Ease of manufacture
If existing flow control methods are used, then implementation is simple, but comprehensive flow-control information is lacking leading to inefficient resource utilization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements enhanced feedback mechanisms where the Secondary eNB reports both lower and upper bound buffer status to the Master eNB. This feedback provides comprehensive flow-control information that enables the Master eNB to make informed scheduling decisions, thereby improving resource utilization efficiency while maintaining manageable implementation complexity through standardized reporting procedures.
3Productivity
If dynamic flow control is implemented with lower and upper bounds, then resource utilization is optimized, but flow control mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the flow control mechanism into distinct functional components: lower bound management (for preventing underflow and ensuring minimum resource utilization), upper bound management (for preventing overflow), and reporting/scheduling coordination. This segmentation allows each component to be implemented and managed independently, reducing overall system complexity while achieving optimized resource utilization through the combined effect of multiple specialized sub-mechanisms.
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 4A~4B
AI summary
Lower and upper bounds for flow-control data requests between network nodes Methods and devices are shown for a wireless communication network where a user equipment consumes radio resources provided by at least two different network nodes, at least one node being a master node and at least another node being a secondary node. The secondary node determines a desired amount of data to be targeted to the user equipment and then transmits an indication of the desired amount of data to the master node. A master node receives an indication of the desired amount of data targeted to the user equipment and then controls the amount of data transmitted to the user equipment via the secondary node based on that indication.