Multi-RAT Buffer Status Reporting for Uplink Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems with multiple radio access technologies (RATs), coordinating radio resource scheduling across base stations of different RATs is challenging, especially in scenarios where LTE eNB and WiFi AP are separated, making it difficult to provide sufficient information for efficient uplink multi-flow aggregation.
Innovation Solution
A method for uplink communication that involves configuring radio bearers across multiple RATs, associating logical channels with these bearers, and transmitting buffer status reports from terminals to assist in multi-RAT scheduling, allowing for resource allocation across multiple RATs based on data requirements and network policies.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If radio bearers are configured across multiple RATs and buffer status reports are transmitted, then resource allocation efficiency and data transmission rates improve, but system complexity and coordination difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a multi-RAT bearer configuration mechanism where a single radio bearer can be associated with multiple RATs (e.g., LTE and WiFi). This intermediary structure allows the terminal to transmit buffer status reports that cover data for multiple RATs simultaneously, enabling the network to perform coordinated scheduling across different RATs without requiring separate reporting mechanisms for each RAT, thus improving productivity while managing complexity through abstraction.
2Reliability
If multiple base stations of different RATs are coordinated, then overall system performance improves, but information exchange and scheduling coordination become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the scheduling information exchange for multiple RATs into a unified buffer status report mechanism. Instead of requiring separate information exchange channels between base stations for each RAT, the terminal consolidates buffer status information for all configured RATs into single reports that can be processed by the network side, reducing information loss and improving reliability of multi-RAT coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary configuration of multi-RAT bearers before data transmission begins. The network pre-configures which RATs should be associated with each radio bearer, and the terminal prepares buffer status reports in advance that reflect the multi-RAT configuration. This preliminary action ensures that when data needs to be transmitted, the coordination framework is already in place, improving system performance while minimizing the complexity of real-time information exchange.
3Productivity
If buffer status reports contain information for multiple RATs, then resource allocation efficiency improves, but report complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal buffer status report structure that can handle multiple RATs simultaneously. The report format is designed to be multi-functional, capable of conveying buffer status information for LTE, WiFi, and potentially other RATs using a unified structure. This universality allows the network to allocate resources efficiently across multiple RATs based on a single report, improving productivity while avoiding the need for separate complex reporting mechanisms for each RAT.
Data Source
AI summary
A buffer status reporting scheme for a terminal (10) wishing to transmit data simultaneously in multiple RATs of a wireless communication network, which enables the co-ordination of multiple base stations (12, 14) of different RATs (e.g. LTE eNB, UMTS base station, WiFi access point, etc.) with the assistance of the terminal (10) in order to achieve efficient radio resource scheduling for multi-RAT multi-flow aggregation in uplink. A radio bearer is configured for multi-RAT multi-flow aggregation by the network, and multiple logical channel IDs are assigned to this RB that may be associated with different RATs. Logical channels associated with a certain RAT (or a given set of RATs) may be grouped into one logical channel group for radio resource scheduling reason. The terminal (10) performs buffer status reporting, according to the configuration, on all involved RATs and sends reports/indications to one or more involved base stations (12.14).