IAB Node Channel Occupancy Time Sharing in 5G Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in utilizing channel occupancy time (COT) across nodes of an integrated access backhaul (IAB) network, leading to underutilization of resources and increased latency, especially in unlicensed 5G spectra.
Innovation Solution
The method involves an IAB node acquiring COT through a channel access procedure and sharing it with parent or child nodes, allowing these nodes to use the COT for communication, which can then be further shared with other IAB nodes, thereby optimizing resource usage and reducing latency by employing type 2 channel access procedures for efficient signal transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each IAB node performs independent channel access procedures to acquire COT, then each node can independently access the channel, but channel resources are underutilized and latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple independent COT acquisitions into a single shared COT. The first IAB node acquires COT through channel access procedure, and this COT is then shared with the second IAB node. This combining approach allows multiple nodes to utilize the same channel occupancy period, improving resource utilization efficiency while maintaining reliable channel access through the initial access procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling the COT acquired by one IAB node to serve multiple purposes and multiple nodes. The shared COT is not limited to a single node's use but can be utilized by multiple IAB nodes for different transmissions, making the channel access mechanism more versatile and efficient across the network.
2Productivity
If COT is shared across multiple IAB nodes, then resource utilization improves, but channel access complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the COT sharing mechanism into distinct roles: a first IAB node performs the channel access procedure to acquire COT, while a second IAB node receives and utilizes the shared COT. This segmentation separates the complexity of channel access from the benefit of resource sharing, allowing nodes to participate in COT sharing without all nodes needing to perform complex access procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The first IAB node acts as an intermediary that acquires COT through the channel access procedure and then shares it with the second IAB node. This intermediary role simplifies the overall system complexity by having a dedicated node handle the access procedure while other nodes can more easily participate in resource utilization without implementing the full access mechanism.
3Ease of operation
If independent COT acquisition is used, then channel access control is simplified, but latency increases due to repeated access procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the first IAB node perform the channel access procedure in advance to acquire COT before actual data transmissions occur. This pre-acquired COT is then shared with the second IAB node, eliminating the need for the second node to perform its own access procedure at the time of transmission, thereby reducing access latency while maintaining simple control mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
Wireless communications systems and methods related to sharing channel occupancy time (COT) for a channel in an unlicensed 5G spectrum in an integrated access backhaul (IAB) network are provided. In some aspects, an IAB node of the IAB network may perform a channel access procedure to acquire the COT and share the COT with a parent IAB node and/or a child IAB node for the parent IAB node and/or child IAB node to share, or use the COT for communication, with a third IAB node different from the COT-initiating IAB node.