Relay Device Indication Bit for D2D Sidelink Resource Overhead
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communications networks face challenges in supporting a wide range of devices, including low complexity IoT devices and wearable devices, due to increased demand for high data rate communications and device-to-device (D2D) communications, which leads to resource overhead and power consumption issues when broadcasting additional information for relay selection.
Innovation Solution
A single bit is broadcast by relay devices to indicate their ability to accept new connections, utilizing spare bits in the sidelink master information block, allowing the relay to set conditions such as battery level, power consumption, and connection limits to determine whether to accept new connections, thereby minimizing resource overhead and optimizing power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional information is broadcast for relay selection, then relay selection capability is improved, but resource overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed for relay selection by using a single bit indicator in the SIB14 message to show whether a relay UE is willing to establish new connections. This selective extraction of critical information (connection willingness status) eliminates the need to broadcast comprehensive relay capability details, thereby reducing resource overhead while maintaining effective relay selection functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of broadcasting detailed capability information and letting devices filter, the patent inverts the approach by using a compact single-bit indicator that directly communicates the operational status (willingness to accept connections). This inversion from detailed-positive information to minimal-status information reduces broadcast overhead while preserving the essential selection capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If relay devices broadcast detailed connection information, then connection management capability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the critical connection status information (willingness to accept new connections) from the full set of relay capabilities. By broadcasting only this essential single-bit indicator rather than comprehensive connection management details, the relay UE significantly reduces its transmission power requirements while maintaining the ability to manage connections effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the information parameter from detailed capability descriptions to a minimal single-bit status indicator. This parameter transformation reduces the data volume by orders of magnitude, directly lowering the power consumption associated with information broadcasting while preserving the core connection management functionality through the interpreted status bit.
3Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive relay information is broadcast, then device compatibility is improved, but resource overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential compatibility indicator (connection willingness status) from comprehensive relay information. This single-bit extraction provides sufficient compatibility information for devices to determine whether to attempt connection, eliminating the need to broadcast full capability sets and thereby reducing resource overhead while maintaining broad device compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent inverts the traditional approach of broadcasting comprehensive information for compatibility. Instead, it uses a minimal single-bit status indicator that, when interpreted by receiving devices, achieves the same compatibility function with dramatically reduced resource overhead. The inversion from detailed-to-minimal information maintains compatibility while optimizing resource usage.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communications device acting as a relay device (420) is configured to communicate with communications devices (430) operating with a mobile communications network and infrastructure equipment (410) forming part of the mobile communications network. The relay device (420) comprises transmitter circuitry (421) configured to transmit signals to the communications devices and to the infrastructure equipment, receiver circuitry (422) configured to receive signals from the communications devices (430) and from the infrastructure equipment (410), and controller circuitry (423). The controller circuitry (423) is configured to determine whether predetermined conditions relating to the setting of an indication bit have been met, wherein the indication bit indicates whether the relay device (420) is able to form new connections with one or more of the communications devices (430), to set the indication bit dependent on the determination of whether the predetermined conditions have been met, wherein the relay device is not able to form new connections with one or more of the communications devices (430) when the predetermined conditions are met, and to broadcast the indication bit. This technique allow for the minimising of information that needs to be broadcast over the D2D sidelink to inform communications devices (430) whether access to relay nodes (420) is barred.