Industrial IoT Uplink Resource Allocation for Collision-Free Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in efficiently managing high sensor/actuator density and stringent latency requirements in industrial IoT applications, particularly in isochronous operations where simultaneous communication between multiple terminal devices is critical, leading to potential collisions and inefficiencies in resource allocation.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that obtain a service flow configuration from a network control entity, allocate shared resources for uplink message transmissions based on cycle time requirements, and provide terminal device-specific resource indicators to avoid collisions, enabling efficient communication in industrial automation systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple terminal devices transmit uplink messages simultaneously in isochronous operations, then communication efficiency is improved, but signal collisions occur leading to transmission failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring uplink resource indicators for multiple terminal devices before simultaneous transmissions occur. The network control entity provides terminal device-specific resource indicators that designate specific time-frequency resources for each device, ensuring that devices transmit in advance according to their assigned resources rather than competing for resources in real-time, thus preventing collisions while maintaining high communication efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the shared uplink resources into device-specific time-frequency slots. Each terminal device is assigned a unique resource indicator that segments the overall resource pool into discrete, non-overlapping portions for different devices, allowing simultaneous transmissions without interference while maintaining system productivity
2Adaptability or versatility
If shared resources are allocated for uplink transmissions, then resource utilization is improved, but collision avoidance becomes difficult without device-specific indicators
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies feedback by implementing a signaling mechanism where the network control entity provides terminal device-specific resource indicators to each device based on their identity and service requirements. This feedback loop allows the system to dynamically allocate shared resources adaptively while maintaining simple device-side implementation, as devices only need to follow their assigned resource indicators without complex collision avoidance algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the intermediary principle by introducing terminal device-specific resource indicators as a mediating mechanism between the shared resource pool and individual devices. These indicators act as intermediaries that translate the complex shared resource allocation into simple, device-specific transmission instructions, reducing allocation complexity while improving resource adaptability
Data Source
AI summary
As an aspect, there is provided an apparatus configured to: obtain, by an access node from a network control entity, at least one service flow configuration for a plurality of terminal devices in an industrial automation system, the configuration indicating an association between downlink and uplink message transmissions and a cycle time requirement with regard to communication between the network control entity and the plurality of terminal devices; allocate resources as a group of shared resources for the uplink message transmission for each of the plurality of terminal devices based on the association and according to the cycle time requirement, and transmit information on the allocation to the plurality of terminal devices, the information comprising a terminal device-specific resource indicator for each of the plurality of terminal devices for avoiding collision in the uplink message transmission.