PDCP Discard Timer Adjustment for Congested XR Packet Flows
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing packet discard mechanism at the PDCP layer reduces network effective capacity and user experience in XR services due to premature discarding of dependent data packets during network congestion, leading to unsuccessful parsing and transmission.
Innovation Solution
A method to dynamically adjust the discard timer duration at the PDCP layer based on indication information, prioritizing the discard of low-importance data during congestion and ensuring timely transmission of high-importance data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the PDCP entity uses a fixed discard timer duration for all data packets in the same QoS flow, then the packet discard mechanism is simple to implement, but high-importance data packets may be discarded prematurely during network congestion, reducing network effective capacity and user experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating packet discard behavior based on data importance. Instead of uniformly discarding all packets after a fixed timeout, the system identifies high-importance packets (e.g., I-frames in video streams) and extends their discard timer duration selectively. This allows critical data to be retained longer during congestion while maintaining simple fixed-timer behavior for ordinary packets, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of discard timer duration based on data packet importance. The discard timer is no longer static but adapts its duration according to the significance of the data being transmitted. High-importance packets receive extended timer durations to prevent premature discarding, while low-importance packets use the original fixed duration. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by making the system flexible where needed while maintaining simplicity elsewhere.
2Reliability
If the discard timer duration is extended for all data packets to prevent premature discarding, then the successful transmission rate of high-importance data improves, but network resource pressure increases during congestion and low-importance data occupies transmission resources unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating packet discard behavior based on data importance. Instead of uniformly discarding all packets after a fixed timeout, the system identifies high-importance packets (e.g., I-frames in video streams) and extends their discard timer duration selectively. This allows critical data to be retained longer during congestion while maintaining simple fixed-timer behavior for ordinary packets, thus improving reliability without significantly increasing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the discard timer duration parameter selectively based on data importance. Rather than using a single fixed timeout value for all packets, the system adjusts the timer duration parameter dynamically: extending it for high-importance packets to prevent premature discarding, and maintaining the original shorter duration for low-importance packets. This parameter differentiation ensures that network resources are allocated efficiently during congestion, prioritizing critical data transmission.
3Productivity
If the PDCP entity discards packets based on a fixed timeout duration, then the packet discard operation is simple and fast, but dependent data packets (e.g., P-frames depending on I-frames) may be discarded even when transmission resources are available later, reducing network effective capacity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by identifying and marking high-importance data packets in advance, before transmission congestion occurs. The system pre-classifies packets based on their importance (e.g., I-frames versus P-frames in video streams) and assigns different discard timer durations accordingly. This preliminary differentiation ensures that when congestion occurs, the system can immediately apply the appropriate discard policy without needing to make complex real-time decisions, thus improving network effective capacity while avoiding excessive processing delays.
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a packet discarding method and a communication apparatus, and relates to the communication field. The method includes: A second communication apparatus sends first indication information to a first communication apparatus, where the first indication information indicates to adjust duration of a discard timer that is at a PDCP layer and that corresponds to first data to second duration, and the first data is a first data packet or first data packet set of target importance; and the first communication apparatus adjusts the duration of the discard timer from first duration to the second duration based on the first indication information.