Grant-Free Uplink Response Messaging for Accurate Acknowledgment

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

In grant-free data transmission, the network device cannot accurately determine how to send a response message to the terminal device, leading to uncertainty in transmission accuracy.

Innovation Solution

The network device sends response messages based on a first response type, where each transmission receives an immediate acknowledgment, or a second response type, where multiple transmissions receive a combined acknowledgment, enhancing transmission accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If grant-free transmission is used to reduce latency and signaling overheads, then transmission speed is improved, but response message transmission accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission speedVSAvoidresponse message transmission accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the response message transmission into two distinct types: Type 1 for immediate single-transmission responses and Type 2 for delayed combined responses after multiple transmissions. This segmentation allows the system to select the appropriate response type based on transmission conditions, thereby maintaining both low latency (through Type 1) and high reliability (through Type 2) in different scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic adaptability by allowing the terminal device to determine and switch between different response types based on real-time transmission conditions. The network device and terminal device can dynamically adjust the response message transmission strategy, making the system flexible enough to optimize both speed and reliability according to current network conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If immediate acknowledgment is sent for each transmission, then transmission reliability is improved, but signaling overheads increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling overheads
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple response messages into a single combined response message in Type 2 transmission. Instead of sending separate ACK/NACK messages for each uplink data transmission, the network device waits for multiple transmissions and then sends one consolidated response message that covers all previous transmissions, significantly reducing signaling overhead while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic response transmission where the network device sends response messages at specific intervals rather than after every single transmission. In Type 2, the network device periodically sends a combined response message after receiving multiple uplink data transmissions, reducing the frequency of signaling interactions while ensuring reliable acknowledgment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Loss of substance

If combined acknowledgment is sent after multiple transmissions, then signaling overheads are reduced, but transmission latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling overheadsVSAvoidtransmission latency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses dynamic adaptability to switch between Type 1 (immediate response) and Type 2 (delayed combined response) based on real-time conditions. When low latency is critical, the system uses Type 1 with immediate acknowledgment. When reducing signaling overhead is more important and time allows, the system switches to Type 2 with combined acknowledgment, optimizing the trade-off dynamically.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the timing parameter of response message transmission based on transmission type. In Type 1, the response is sent immediately with minimal delay. In Type 2, the response is sent after a predetermined time period that allows multiple transmissions to be combined, adjusting the timing parameter to balance latency and signaling overhead reduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If uplink scheduling is not performed for retransmission, then productivity is improved, but response message accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveproductivityVSAvoidresponse message accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the terminal device determines the response type and the network device sends corresponding response messages based on this determination. This feedback loop ensures that the response message transmission is coordinated and accurate, allowing the system to maintain high productivity without uplink scheduling while ensuring the network device sends the correct type of response message for each transmission scenario.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3657892B1Method and device for transmitting data
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3657892B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3657892B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3657892B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

This application provides a data transmission method and apparatus, to improve transmission accuracy of a response message. The method includes: receiving, by a network device, uplink data sent by a terminal device based on a grant-free manner; and sending, by the network device, a response message for the uplink data to the terminal device according to a type of the response message for the uplink data, where the type of the response message for the uplink data is a first response type or a second response type, the first response type is that each time the terminal device sends the uplink data, the network device sends the response message for the uplink data to the terminal device once, and the second response type is that after the terminal device sends the uplink data for a plurality of times, the network device sends, to the terminal device once, the response message for the uplink data that is sent for the plurality of times.