Packet Delay Estimation from HARQ Retransmission Measurements
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Solution Overview
Problem
Measuring packet delay in wireless communication networks is resource-intensive and complex, requiring significant power, computation, and memory consumption, especially with increasing network traffic and throughput.
Innovation Solution
Estimating packet delay using performance measurements and machine learning models, reducing the need for direct measurements by employing empirical methods and machine learning to predict packet delay based on HARQ retransmissions and network conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If direct packet delay measurement is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary estimation approach using HARQ retransmission counts as a mediator variable. Instead of directly measuring packet delay, the system uses the number of HARQ retransmissions as an indirect indicator to infer delay characteristics, thereby avoiding the complexity of direct measurement while maintaining useful measurement insights
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy or model of the actual packet delay measurement process. By using HARQ retransmission data as a proxy model that correlates with delay patterns, the system replicates the essential measurement information without requiring the full complexity of direct delay measurement infrastructure
2Measurement precision
If direct packet delay measurement is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses HARQ retransmission counts as an intermediary variable that requires minimal power to track compared to direct delay measurement. This mediator approach provides delay-related information while consuming significantly less energy, as HARQ acknowledgments are already part of the standard communication protocol
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a lightweight, low-cost estimation method using readily available HARQ data that requires minimal processing resources. This disposable estimation approach sacrifices some measurement precision but gains substantial energy efficiency, allowing frequent or continuous monitoring without significant power cost
3Measurement precision
If direct packet delay measurement is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but computation resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces HARQ retransmission count as a mediator that simplifies the computation burden. Instead of calculating actual delay times for each packet, the system simply counts retransmissions, which serves as a computationally efficient proxy for delay measurement
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical measurement process (direct timing and recording of packet delays) with a computational abstraction (HARQ retransmission counting). This substitution leverages existing protocol mechanisms to provide measurement information without requiring dedicated measurement infrastructure or complex timing calculations
4Measurement precision
If direct packet delay measurement is performed, then measurement precision is improved, but memory resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses HARQ retransmission counts as a compact intermediary data structure that requires minimal memory storage. Instead of storing detailed timing information for each packet measurement, the system maintains simple counters for retransmission events, dramatically reducing memory requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional measurement approach by not measuring delay directly but instead measuring the inverse relationship between retransmission frequency and successful transmission. This inversion allows delay characteristics to be inferred from a much smaller data set
Data Source
AI summary
In some implementations, a network node may collect performance measurements associated with a communication link between a network node and a user equipment, the performance measurements including at least one of: a total number of packets associated with each hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmission group, of multiple HARQ retransmission groups associated with the communication link, or a total data volume associated with each HARQ retransmission group, of the multiple HARQ retransmission groups associated with the communication link. The network node may estimate a packet delay associated with the communication link based on the performance measurements.