Relay HARQ-ACK Forwarding for Lower-Power XR Uplink Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high power consumption of uplink communication in extended reality (XR) devices due to the need for power amplification to transmit data to a network device, which affects battery life, is exacerbated by the challenge of forwarding hybrid automatic repeat request acknowledgement (HARQ-ACK) information directly to the network device.
Innovation Solution
A terminal device receives HARQ-ACK information from another terminal device and forwards it to the network device, reducing direct communication overheads by relaying the information through a separate link, and determining optimal time units and resources for transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the XR device directly sends uplink data to the network device, then the communication is straightforward, but the power consumption is high due to power amplification requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a terminal device as an intermediary between the XR device and the network device. The terminal device receives downlink data from the network device and forwards it to the XR device, while the XR device sends uplink data to the terminal device which then transmits it to the network device. This intermediary approach allows the XR device to communicate with the network device indirectly, reducing the power amplification requirements and thus lowering power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a new communication dimension by introducing a separate link between the terminal device and the XR device, distinct from the traditional direct link between the XR device and network device. This dimensional change enables the system to route data through multiple paths, allowing the XR device to offload communication tasks to the terminal device and reduce its own power consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the XR device uses a terminal device to forward uplink data, then power consumption is reduced, but the complexity of forwarding HARQ-ACK information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device serves as an intermediary that handles the complexity of HARQ-ACK information forwarding. It receives HARQ-ACK information from the XR device and automatically forwards it to the network device through the established communication link, eliminating the need for the XR device to directly manage this complex feedback mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs self-service mechanisms where the terminal device autonomously manages the forwarding of HARQ-ACK information without requiring explicit control from the XR device. The terminal device automatically determines when and how to forward the information based on the communication protocol and network conditions.
3Reliability
If the XR device performs power amplification to ensure uplink transmission quality, then communication quality is maintained, but battery life is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal device acts as an intermediary that relays uplink data from the XR device to the network device. This allows the XR device to transmit data at lower power levels over shorter distances to the terminal device, while the terminal device handles the longer transmission to the network device, thereby maintaining communication quality without requiring the XR device to perform high-power amplification.
Solution Approach 2:
The communication path is segmented into two stages: first from the XR device to the terminal device, then from the terminal device to the network device. This segmentation allows each stage to operate at appropriate power levels, with the XR device using lower power for short-range communication and the terminal device handling the longer-range transmission to the network device.
Data Source
AI summary
This application provides a communication method, including: A first terminal device receives first information from a second terminal device through a first link, where the first information includes first HARQ-ACK information corresponding to first downlink data; and sends the first HARQ-ACK information to a network device through a second link, where the first downlink data is downlink data sent by the network device to the second terminal device. The first link is a transmission link between the first terminal device and the second terminal device, and the second link is a link between the first terminal device and the network device. The first terminal device receives the HARQ-ACK information that is of the downlink data and that is sent by the second terminal device, and forwards the HARQ-ACK information to the network device.