Relay UE Flow Control for Buffer Congestion in Data Forwarding
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is no effective scheme for flow control in scenarios where a UE is used as a relay, particularly in UE-to-network and UE-to-UE relay scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A flow control method and device are introduced for relay UEs, involving the generation and transmission of flow control messages based on predefined thresholds or requests, with granularities including remote UE, LCH, LCG, and RLC channel, to manage data transmission effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If relay UE caches and forwards data between first device and second device, then network coverage is extended and data transmission is enabled in remote areas, but data congestion occurs in the relay UE buffer and flow control mechanism is lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The relay UE monitors its own buffer status and provides feedback by generating flow control messages when the buffer exceeds a threshold. This self-monitoring and self-reporting mechanism enables the relay UE to actively participate in flow control, preventing buffer overflow and ensuring reliable data transmission while maintaining extended network coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The relay UE autonomously monitors its buffer status and generates flow control messages without requiring external control from the network or remote UE. This self-service approach allows the relay UE to independently manage its buffer congestion, ensuring reliable data transmission while extending network coverage to remote areas.
2Reliability
If flow control message is generated when relay data cached exceeds threshold, then data congestion is prevented and transmission reliability is improved, but additional signaling overhead is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The relay UE proactively generates flow control messages when the buffer reaches a threshold level, preventing buffer overflow and data loss before it occurs. This preliminary action approach ensures transmission reliability by addressing congestion issues before they critically impact data delivery, while the threshold-based triggering minimizes unnecessary signaling overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple granularities (remote UE, LCH, LCG, RLC channel) are supported for flow control, then fine-grained data management is achieved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flow control mechanism is segmented into multiple granularities including remote UE level, LCH level, LCG level, and RLC channel level. This segmentation allows the system to apply flow control at different levels of detail, enabling fine-grained data management for specific channels or logical channels when needed, while maintaining overall system adaptability without excessive complexity through hierarchical organization.
Data Source
AI summary
A flow control method performed by a relay UE for relay forwarding between a first device and a second device includes: generating a flow control message in the case that a flow control condition has been met; and transmitting the flow control message to the first device. The flow control condition includes that relay data cached in the relay UE and transmitted by the first device to the second device exceeds a threshold, or that a flow control request message has been received from the first device.