Ethernet Header Compression in New Radio with ACK Synchronization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication protocols are inadequate for efficiently processing Ethernet data packet flows in New Radio, failing to meet low latency, high reliability, and low processing resource utilization requirements, particularly in scenarios like factory automation where packet loss and error are critical.

Innovation Solution

Implementing Ethernet header compression techniques that manage context identifiers and acknowledge signals to optimize the transmission and reception of compressed Ethernet packets, ensuring robustness and compliance with Ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC) timelines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If Ethernet header compression is implemented to reduce overhead, then network resource utilization improves, but packet loss and errors increase due to context synchronization issues

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork resource utilizationVSAvoidpacket loss and error rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements an acknowledgment mechanism where the decompressor sends ACK signals to the compressor to confirm successful context establishment. This feedback loop ensures that compressed packets are only transmitted after the decompressor is ready, preventing packet loss due to context desynchronization while maintaining compression efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes compression contexts before transmitting compressed data packets. The compressor sends context creation messages and waits for acknowledgment before initiating compressed packet transmission. This preliminary setup ensures that the decompressor has the necessary context information ready, eliminating errors caused by attempting to decompress packets without valid context.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If context creation messages are transmitted to establish compression contexts, then compression reliability improves, but transmission latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompression context synchronizationVSAvoidtransmission latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the context creation message with the first compressed packet of a new flow, transmitting them together in a single uplink transmission. This merging eliminates the need for separate round-trip exchanges for context establishment, significantly reducing latency while maintaining reliable context synchronization between compressor and decompressor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If ACK signal verification is implemented before transmitting compressed packets, then packet delivery reliability improves, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompressed packet deliveryVSAvoidcompressor processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent leverages the existing uplink transmission mechanism to carry both context creation messages and compressed packets. The compressor utilizes the natural feedback channel (uplink) already present in the wireless communication system to send ACK signals, rather than implementing a separate dedicated feedback channel. This self-service approach minimizes additional processing complexity while ensuring reliable packet delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP4042656B1Ethernet header compression techniques in new radio
Publication Date: 2025.09.03 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP4042656B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4042656B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4042656B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The disclosure includes a method at a device configured to process both wireless data traffic and Ethernet data traffic into a wireless communication, comprising determining, at a compressor, whether an acknowledgement (ACK) signal is received from a decompressor in response to transmitting, over a wireless communication link, a context creation message for a context identification (ID) associated with a flow of incoming Ethernet data traffic; refraining from transmitting, by the compressor to the decompressor over the wireless communication link, a compressed packet corresponding to the flow based on a first determination that the ACK signal is not received from the decompressor; and transmitting, by the compressor to the decompressor over the wireless communication link, the compressed packet corresponding to the flow based on a second determination that the ACK signal is received from the decompressor.