Group Buffer Status Reports for Wireless Signaling Overhead Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current Proximity-based Services (ProSe) in LTE Device-to-Device (D2D) communication systems face limitations in supporting 2-hop group cooperative transmissions, leading to high signaling overhead and latency due to the inability to schedule group transmissions and the need for individual Buffer Status Reports (BSRs) from each UE, especially in scenarios with multiple UEs having data for transmission.

Innovation Solution

Implementing group BSRs that allow a single UE to represent multiple UEs, aggregating their buffer status information and transmitting it to the Base Station (BS), reducing the need for individual BSRs and enabling cooperative UL group transmissions after completing SideLink (SL) transmissions within the group.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If individual BSRs are transmitted by each UE, then the buffer status information is accurately reported, but the signaling overhead and latency increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuffer status reporting accuracyVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual BSR reports from different UEs into a single group BSR. The group BSR contains aggregated buffer status information for multiple UEs, including a group identifier and individual buffer status fields for each UE in the group. This combining approach maintains the precision of individual reporting while dramatically reducing the quantity of signaling messages required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The group BSR mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it reports buffer status for multiple UEs in a single message, enables the BS to schedule group transmissions, and reduces signaling overhead. This multi-functional approach allows the system to achieve accurate buffer status reporting while optimizing resource utilization and reducing latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If individual BSRs are transmitted by each UE, then the buffer status information is accurately reported, but the latency increases due to multiple separate reporting procedures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebuffer status reporting accuracyVSAvoidreporting latency

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By combining multiple BSR reports into a single group BSR message, the patent eliminates the sequential transmission delay that would occur if each UE sent individual BSRs. The aggregated report is transmitted once to the BS, which then has all necessary buffer status information to schedule group transmissions, significantly reducing the total time required compared to multiple separate reporting procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Ease of operation

If autonomous resource selection is used, then SR and BSR reporting is avoided, but resources are wasted when transmissions are not used

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation simplicityVSAvoidresource waste

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where UEs send group BSRs to the BS, which then provides scheduling decisions. This feedback loop allows the system to move from autonomous resource selection (which wastes resources) to scheduled resource allocation (which optimizes resource usage). The BS uses the buffer status information from group BSRs to allocate resources efficiently, ensuring that resources are only used when there is actual data to transmit.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

4Productivity

If scheduled resource allocation is used, then resource efficiency is improved, but SR and BSR reporting overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation efficiencyVSAvoidsignaling overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent resolves this contradiction by merging multiple BSR reports into a single group BSR. This approach maintains the resource allocation efficiency of scheduled resource allocation while reducing the signaling overhead that would result from multiple individual BSR reports. The group BSR provides the BS with comprehensive buffer status information for multiple UEs in a single signaling message, optimizing both resource efficiency and signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12192982B2Apparatuses and methods for using group buffer status reports

Publication Date: 2025.01.07 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to radio network communication. In one of its aspects, the disclosure presented herein concerns a method performed by a first UE for transmitting group Buffer Status Reports (BSRs) for group transmissions to a Base Station (BS) in a wireless communication system. The wireless communication system comprises the BS and a plurality of UEs, including the first UE. The plurality of UEs are assigned to a group, wherein at least one of the UEs within the assigned group has data for group transmission to the BS. The method comprises transmitting, to the BS, a group BSR. The group BSR comprises at least one identifier identifying a request for SideLink (SL) transmissions within the assigned group and identifying a request for cooperative UpLink (UL) group transmissions of data by the UEs within the assigned group to the BS once the SL transmissions to the UEs within the assigned group are completed.