Dynamic MAC CE Priority for 5G Uplink Resource Allocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

In 5G systems, the preferential transmission of MAC CEs carrying Buffer Status Reports (BSRs) causes transmission delays for data from logical channels due to higher priority settings not considering specific channel factors, leading to inefficient use of uplink resources.

Innovation Solution

The method involves configuring a priority order for logical channels based on uplink resource types, scheduling modes, and transmission modes, allowing User Equipment (UE) to dynamically adjust the priority of BSRs and other MAC CEs to ensure higher priority data from logical channels is transmitted first, with padding BSRs used to fill remaining resource space if necessary.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the priority of MAC CE carrying BSR is always set to be higher than that of data from any logical channel, then the BSR can be transmitted first to report buffer status, but the data from logical channels with high priority will experience transmission delay due to resource occupation by BSR

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebuffer status report transmission reliabilityVSAvoiddata transmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by making the priority of MAC CE carrying BSR adjustable rather than fixed. The priority is dynamically determined based on the logical channel priority and whether the BSR contains buffer status information of the highest priority logical channel. This allows the system to adapt the BSR transmission priority according to actual data transmission needs, resolving the contradiction between ensuring BSR transmission and preventing data transmission delay.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by differentiating the priority treatment based on the specific characteristics of the BSR and logical channel. Instead of uniform high priority for all BSRs, the system assigns different priority levels to BSRs based on whether they contain buffer status information of the highest priority logical channel, thereby optimizing both BSR transmission reliability and data transmission efficiency locally.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Productivity

If MAC CE carrying BSR is always transmitted with highest priority, then buffer status can be reported promptly, but uplink transmission resources are inefficiently used causing delay to high-priority data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebuffer status report transmission efficiencyVSAvoiduplink resource utilization efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the priority parameter of MAC CE carrying BSR based on the logical channel priority and BSR content. The priority is changed from a fixed highest level to a variable level that depends on whether the BSR contains buffer status information of the highest priority logical channel. This optimization ensures that BSR transmission efficiency is maintained when needed, while uplink resources are not wasted on low-priority data transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If fixed priority order is used for all logical channels, then the packetization process is simple, but it cannot adapt to different service requirements and numerology configurations in 5G systems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacketization process complexityVSAvoidservice requirement adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamics by introducing a dynamic priority determination mechanism that adapts to different service requirements and numerology configurations in 5G systems. The priority order is no longer fixed but is dynamically adjusted based on the logical channel priority and whether the BSR contains buffer status information of the highest priority logical channel, enabling the system to adapt to various service requirements while maintaining manageable packetization complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3668172B1Apparatus for use in media access control layer packets
Publication Date: 2023.03.29 SHARP KK
  • EP3668172B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3668172B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3668172B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a method performed at UE, comprising: receiving a UL grant from a base station, wherein the UL grant comprises information related to uplink resources allocated to the UE by the base station; obtaining a priority order, configured for the UE by the base station based on at least one of an uplink resource type, an uplink resource scheduling mode, and an uplink resource transmission mode, of a plurality of logical channels to which the uplink resources allocated in the UL grant are applicable; if a BSR carried in a MAC CE does not comprise buffer status information of a logical channel having a highest priority, then setting a priority of the MAC CE carrying the BSR to be lower than a priority of data from the logical channel having the highest priority; and according to the set priority order of the data and the MAC CE, sequentially assembling the data and the MAC CE into a MAC protocol data unit (PDU) for transmission on the allocated uplink resources. The present disclosure further provides corresponding UE, a corresponding base station, and a computer-readable medium.