FlexE Bearer Frame Structure for Sub-5G Client Bandwidths

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication technologies face challenges in efficiently transmitting client services at speeds lower than 5 G using the FlexE protocol due to limited slot numbers and large bandwidth granularity, making it difficult to accommodate a variety of client services with varying bandwidth requirements.

Innovation Solution

A fine-grained frame structure is introduced, dividing the 5G-rate FlexE slot pipeline into sub-slots that can support multiple slot sizes, allowing for the transmission of client services with different slot sizes, including 2, 4, and 8 code blocks, and a general bearer frame structure is constructed to adapt to varying client code block sizes by adjusting slot size, number of slots, and number of frames in a multiframe.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fine-grained frame structure with multiple slot sizes is introduced, then adaptability to various client service bandwidth requirements is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to various client service bandwidth requirementsVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The FlexE slot pipeline is divided into sub-slots of different granularities (2, 4, or 8 code blocks per sub-slot). This segmentation allows the system to accommodate client services with different bandwidth requirements by selecting appropriate sub-slot sizes, thereby improving adaptability without requiring complete redesign of the transmission framework.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The frame structure is designed to be dynamic, allowing the number of slots and sub-slots per frame to be adjusted based on the specific bandwidth requirements of client services. The system can flexibly configure the frame structure parameters (such as setting different numbers of frames in a multiframe) to match various transmission needs, achieving adaptability while maintaining manageable complexity through structured flexibility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If slot size is reduced to accommodate lower speed client services, then adaptability is improved, but delay time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to lower speed client servicesVSAvoiddelay time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the slot pipeline into sub-slots of different sizes (2, 4, or 8 code blocks), the system can select larger sub-slot sizes for lower speed client services, thereby reducing the number of processing stages and minimizing delay time while still accommodating diverse bandwidth requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the sub-slot size parameter dynamically based on client service requirements. For lower speed services, larger sub-slot sizes are used to reduce processing delay, while for higher speed services, smaller sub-slot sizes provide finer granularity. This parameter adjustment resolves the contradiction between adaptability and delay time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP4708999A1Bearing method, and communication node and storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 ZTE CORP
  • EP4708999A1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP4708999A1 patent drawingFigure 1C~1D
  • EP4708999A1 patent drawingFigure 1E

AI summary

Disclosed are a bearing method, a communication node, and a storage medium. The transmission method includes determining the frame structure of a bearer frame, where the bearer frame includes a plurality of types of code blocks, the bearer frame includes a plurality of slots, the slots support a plurality of slot sizes, and a slot size is used in the determined frame structure; determining the frame structure of a multiframe including the bearer frame; and mapping target data to the multiframe for transmission.