Emergency Data Transmission Over Unlicensed Spectrum

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Solution Overview

Problem

The unpredictable nature of accessing unlicensed radio frequency spectrum bands poses challenges for transmitting emergency data, as devices may face delays or inability to access the band due to contention with other devices, which is critical for timely communication of time-sensitive information.

Innovation Solution

Nodes in wireless communication systems can autonomously adjust Listen Before Talk (LBT) yielding parameters, such as the N/K protocol settings, to increase access duration or perform Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) opportunities, ensuring priority access to the unlicensed band for emergency data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If devices perform Listen Before Talk (LBT) procedure to access unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band, then access to the band is obtained, but transmission delay increases and reliability decreases for emergency data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of emergency data transmissionVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent dynamically adjusts LBT yielding parameters (N and K values) based on the priority of data transmission. For emergency data, the device reduces the N value (number of CCA attempts) and K value (backoff counter range), enabling faster access to the unlicensed band while maintaining fair coexistence with other devices during normal operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention changes the parameters of the LBT procedure specifically for emergency data transmission. By modifying the CCA configuration parameters (N, K) based on data priority indicators, the system achieves reduced access delay and improved reliability for time-critical communications without affecting overall system fairness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Ease of operation

If devices contend for access to unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band using standard LBT procedure, then fair access is maintained, but access predictability decreases for time-sensitive transmissions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepredictability of accessVSAvoidtimeliness of emergency data transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary classification of data packets into priority levels before transmission attempts. Emergency data is identified and tagged with high-priority indicators, allowing the device to preemptively adjust LBT parameters before the actual access attempt, ensuring predictable and timely access for critical communications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically switches between standard LBT parameters for normal data and optimized parameters for emergency data. This dynamic adaptation based on data priority provides predictable access behavior for time-sensitive transmissions while maintaining fair access for regular traffic.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If Clear Channel Assessment (CCA) is performed multiple times to ensure channel availability, then access reliability improves, but access duration increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvechannel access reliabilityVSAvoidaccess duration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the CCA parameters (N and K) based on data priority. For emergency data, the N value (maximum CCA attempts) is reduced, and the K value (backoff counter range) is minimized, allowing the device to attempt channel access fewer times with shorter waiting periods, thus reducing overall access duration while maintaining sufficient reliability for critical transmissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3127390B1Emergency data transmission over unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band
Publication Date: 2019.12.25 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3127390B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3127390B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3127390B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Techniques are described for wireless communication. A first method includes determining that a first node associated with a first operator in a deployment of operators has emergency data to transmit over an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band and transmitting, by the first node, a signal over the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band. The signal may indicate that the first node has emergency data to transmit. A second method includes receiving, at a first base station associated with a first operator in a deployment of operators, an uplink transmission from a user equipment (UE) indicating that the UE has emergency uplink data to transmit over an unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band and transmitting, by the first base station, an indication to a second base station that the UE has emergency uplink data to transmit over the unlicensed radio frequency spectrum band.