Dynamic Packet Reordering and Discarding in 5G QoS Flows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing 5G wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing diverse quality-of-service classes like URLLC and eMBB, particularly in handling out-of-sequence packets and latency constraints for applications such as virtual reality, which require stringent latency and reliability.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a packet discard mechanism in radio access networks, where a packet discard indication is transmitted to user equipment, allowing for the discarding of packets based on buffer time and latency criteria, and enabling packet offloading to different traffic flows with varying priorities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If packets are buffered to maintain sequence order, then reliability of packet delivery is improved, but latency increases violating URLLC requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of packet handling by introducing a packet discard indication that allows the network to signal when out-of-sequence packets should be discarded rather than buffered. This parameter change enables the system to switch between buffering (for reliability) and discarding (for low latency) based on network conditions and QoS requirements, resolving the contradiction between reliability and latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic packet discarding where the network can dynamically indicate to the UE whether to discard out-of-sequence packets based on current network conditions and QoS requirements. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt between maintaining packet sequence (for reliability) and discarding packets (for low latency URLLC), making the system flexible enough to resolve the reliability-latency tradeoff.
2Loss of time
If out-of-sequence packets are discarded, then latency is reduced, but user equipment power consumption increases due to continuous monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the UE to self-determine whether to discard out-of-sequence packets based on the packet discard indication received from the network. Once the UE is configured with the discard indication, it autonomously makes discarding decisions without continuous network signaling, reducing power consumption while maintaining low latency performance.
3Loss of time
If packet discarding is enabled for low latency flows, then URLLC performance is improved, but eMBB reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies packet discarding selectively to specific QoS flows based on their requirements. The network can configure the packet discard indication for specific flows (e.g., URLLC flows) while maintaining standard buffering behavior for other flows (e.g., eMBB flows). This local application of discarding ensures that low latency flows benefit from rapid forwarding while reliability-critical flows maintain sequence ordering, resolving the contradiction between URLLC latency and eMBB reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments traffic into different QoS flows with different packet discard configurations. By dividing the traffic stream into URLLC flows (with discard enabled) and eMBB flows (with discard disabled or configured differently), the system can optimize each segment for its specific requirements, allowing low latency for URLLC while preserving reliability for eMBB.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple traffic flows with different priorities are maintained, then service diversity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal packet discard mechanism that can be applied across multiple QoS flows through a single configuration parameter (the packet discard indication). Rather than implementing separate complex discarding logic for each flow type, the network uses a unified indication that can be configured for different flows, reducing device complexity while maintaining support for diverse services with different requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A radio access network node transmits a packet discard indication to configure a user equipment with indications that the node may discard packets corresponding to an indicated flow or corresponding to a flow received via an indicated resource. The packet discard indication configures the user equipment not to send a negative acknowledgement that a packet was not received via an indicated flow upon receiving an out-of-sequence packet corresponding to the indicated flow. The packet discard indication may configure the user equipment to decode a packet discarded from a flow indicated as being discarding-enabled via an indicated resource of an alternative target flow that may have a different quality-of-service, latency, or reliability than the flow to which the discarded packet belongs. The node may offload transmission of a packet discarded from a discarding-enabled flow to a flow indicated as an alternative target flow designated for offloading in the packet discard indication.