MAC CE Duplication via Multi-Carrier Transport Blocks

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Solution Overview

Problem

The reliability of media access control (MAC) control element (CE) transmission in 5G communication scenarios, particularly in ultra-reliable low latency communication (URLLC), is not adequately addressed by existing technologies, which can lead to errors and inefficiencies in data transmission.

Innovation Solution

The method involves encapsulating duplicate MAC CEs in different transport blocks and transmitting them through distinct carriers, using specific fields like logical channel ID and serving cell index to indicate the presence and location of duplicate MAC CEs, ensuring that the receiving end device performs operations only once and avoids errors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If duplicate MAC CEs are transmitted through different carriers without indication fields, then transmission reliability is improved, but the receiving end device cannot correctly identify duplicate MAC CEs leading to erroneous operations

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidMAC CE identification information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces indication fields (second MAC CE and fourth MAC CE) as intermediaries to convey information about duplicate MAC CEs. These indication fields contain serving cell index fields that point to the locations of duplicate MAC CEs on different carriers, enabling the receiving end device to correctly identify and handle duplicates without confusion.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent adds a new dimension of information transmission by introducing indication fields that operate alongside the actual MAC CEs. These indication fields provide metadata about the duplicate MAC CEs' locations across different carriers, creating an additional layer of information that helps the receiving end device distinguish and process duplicates correctly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Reliability

If duplicate MAC CEs are transmitted through different carriers, then transmission reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional indication fields

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliabilityVSAvoidMAC CE structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the MAC CE transmission system into multiple components: actual MAC CEs and separate indication fields. This segmentation allows the indication fields to carry location information about duplicates independently, making the overall system more manageable and the added complexity more structured and justified by the reliability gains.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of information

If the receiving end device processes all received MAC CEs without identification, then no information is lost, but erroneous operations occur due to duplicate processing

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoidoperation correctness
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The indication fields act as feedback mechanisms that provide the receiving end device with information about which MAC CEs are duplicates and their locations. This feedback enables the receiving end device to make informed decisions about which MAC CEs to process, avoiding erroneous operations while maintaining information completeness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3644687B1Data transmission method, transmitting terminal device and receiving terminal device
Publication Date: 2021.07.07 GUANGDONG OPPO MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP LTD
  • EP3644687B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP3644687B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP3644687B1 patent drawingFigure 6~7

AI summary

The embodiments of the present application relate to a data transmission method, a transmitting terminal device and a receiving terminal device. The method comprises: packaging a first media access control (MAC) control element (CE) and a second MAC CE into a first transmission block (TB), and packaging a third MAC CE and a fourth MAC CE into a second TB, wherein the first MAC CE and the third MAC CE are the same MAC CE, the second MAC CE indicates a MAC CE that is the same as the first MAC CE, and the fourth MAC CE indicates a MAC CE that is the same as the third MAC CE; and transmitting the first TB to a receiving terminal device through a first carrier, and transmitting the second TB to the receiving terminal device through a second carrier. The data transmission method, the transmitting terminal device and the receiving terminal device of the embodiments of the present application can improve the reliability of transmission of MAC CEs.