5G IAB Relay Handover Data Loss Prevention

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G new radio (NR) networks using integrated access and backhaul (IAB) technology, data loss occurs during relay handover due to deteriorating link quality, as existing mechanisms fail to effectively manage data transmission status and retransmission efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A data processing method where network devices report data receiving status information to ensure that data is not lost during handover, by using status messages to retransmit unacknowledged data packets and prioritize transmission based on acknowledged data, reducing feedback reports and air interface overheads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If relay handover is performed to maintain communication quality during link deterioration, then communication reliability is improved, but data loss occurs during the handover process

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoiddata loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The source relay node performs preliminary actions by generating and sending a status report before actual data transmission begins. This status report includes sequence numbers and acknowledgment information that enables the destination relay node to identify and retransmit lost packets without waiting for handover completion, thus preventing data loss while maintaining communication reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the source relay node sends status reports containing acknowledgment information about received packets. This feedback loop allows the destination relay node to understand which packets were successfully transmitted and which need retransmission, enabling reliable data delivery during handover without losing information

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If status reports are sent from source node to destination node during handover, then data loss is prevented, but air interface overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidair interface overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential information needed for data integrity from the full status report. Instead of transmitting complete packet data, the system extracts and transmits only critical metadata such as sequence numbers and acknowledgment bits. This extraction approach maintains data integrity while significantly reducing air interface overhead and energy consumption

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a simplified copy of the status information rather than transmitting the complete original data. The status report contains condensed acknowledgment information that copies the essential handover state without replicating full packet contents, thus preventing data loss while minimizing overhead on the air interface

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

3Reliability

If all data packets are retransmitted during handover to ensure completeness, then data integrity is improved, but transmission time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata completenessVSAvoidtransmission time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by retransmitting only the necessary packets that were marked as lost in the status report, rather than retransmitting all packets. The destination relay node uses the acknowledgment information to identify exactly which packets need retransmission, enabling selective retransmission that ensures data completeness while minimizing transmission time by avoiding unnecessary retransmissions of already received packets

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3713286B1Data processing method and related device
Publication Date: 2022.06.22 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3713286B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3713286B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3713286B1 patent drawingFigure 2a

AI summary

A data processing method and a related device are provided. In the data processing method, when a first device switches from a second device to a third device, the second device determines data receiving status information of the first device (101); the second device reports the data receiving status information of the first device to a fourth device (102); and the fourth device receives the data receiving status information and sends data to the first device based on the data receiving status information (103). The data receiving status information is used to indicate information about data that has been received by the second device but has not been acknowledged as received by the first device, in data sent by the fourth device to the first device through the second device. The fourth device is connected to a core network device, and the second device and the third device are respectively connected to the core network device by the fourth device. It can be learned that the second device reports the data receiving status information before the first device performs switching. Therefore, a loss of the data that has been received by the second device but has not been acknowledged as received by the first device can be avoided.