Inter-Operator Multicast Unicast Convergence for Wireless

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently handling failures in broadcast transmissions across different operators, leading to excessive latency and interruptions in content streaming due to the need for application layer retransmissions in multi-operator deployments.

Innovation Solution

Implementing inter-operator multicast and unicast convergence transmission techniques, where user equipment (UE) detects transmission failures and provides information to a second operator's base station to initiate unicast transmissions from the next packet after failure, reducing latency and maintaining continuous content delivery without retransmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If application layer retransmissions are used in multi-operator deployments, then reliability of content delivery is improved, but latency increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of content deliveryVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a broadcast failure indication mechanism as an intermediary signal between the broadcast transmission system and the unicast transmission system. When broadcast transmission fails, this indication triggers the unicast system to automatically resume delivery without requiring application layer retransmissions, thereby eliminating the latency penalty while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the broadcast transmission system provides failure indications to the unicast transmission system. This feedback loop enables the unicast system to detect broadcast failures and automatically switch to alternative delivery paths, ensuring continuous content delivery without unnecessary retransmissions and reducing latency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Adaptability or versatility

If broadcast transmission is used across operators, then coverage and accessibility are improved, but transmission failures cause excessive interruptions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage and accessibilityVSAvoidtransmission continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges broadcast and unicast transmission systems into a unified convergence architecture. In this combined system, broadcast transmission provides wide-area coverage and accessibility, while unicast transmission serves as a reliable backup for continuous delivery. The integration allows seamless switching between modes based on transmission conditions, eliminating interruptions while maintaining broad coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent prepares for broadcast transmission failures by having the unicast transmission system ready to activate immediately upon failure detection. The beforehand cushioning mechanism ensures that when broadcast transmission fails, content delivery continues without interruption through pre-configured unicast paths, thereby maintaining transmission continuity while preserving broadcast coverage benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Duration of action of stationary object

If unicast transmission is activated after broadcast failure, then continuous content delivery is achieved, but retransmission of broadcast transmission increases latency

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous content deliveryVSAvoidlatency due to retransmission

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the problematic retransmission function from the application layer and relocates it to the network layer through the broadcast failure indication mechanism. By handling failure recovery at the network level rather than application level, the system achieves continuous content delivery without the latency penalties associated with application layer retransmissions, as the network automatically manages the transition to unicast transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20230354380A1Inter-operator multicast and unicast convergence transmission

Publication Date: 2023.11.02 QUALCOMM INC

AI summary

Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment may receive, from a first base station associated with a first operator, a broadcast transmission conveying a first portion of a communication; and may receive, without triggering a retransmission of the broadcast transmission, a second portion of the communication via a unicast transmission from a second base station associated with a second operator. Numerous other aspects are provided.