Dual-Level RLC Flow Control for Multi-Connectivity Delays
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication networks, the separation of radio protocol stack processing entities across different apparatuses leads to significant communication delays and complexities, particularly in multi-connectivity scenarios, where inter-entity communication is challenging due to the separation of physical and MAC-layer processing, resulting in inefficiencies in data flow control.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dual-level Radio Link Control (RLC) processing system, where a primary RLC entity dynamically determines data shares for multiple connections based on feedback related to throughput, accounting for signaling delays and managing retransmissions, with secondary RLC entities providing segmentation and control for each connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If radio protocol stack processing entities are separated across different apparatuses, then processing flexibility and distribution are improved, but communication delays and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The RLC layer is segmented into a primary RLC entity and multiple secondary RLC entities, where the primary entity handles high-level flow control and data distribution decisions, while secondary entities handle connection-specific segmentation and transmission. This segmentation allows distributed processing while maintaining centralized coordination to minimize delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The primary RLC entity acts as an intermediary between the upper layers and multiple secondary RLC entities, coordinating data distribution and flow control across separated processing apparatuses. This intermediary role enables flexible distribution while managing communication overhead through centralized decision-making.
2Productivity
If multi-connection flow control is implemented with dynamic share adjustment, then throughput optimization is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the primary RLC entity receives throughput information from secondary entities and dynamically adjusts data share allocations. This feedback-driven approach enables automatic optimization of throughput across multiple connections while the standardized feedback format keeps control complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The data share allocation for each connection is dynamically adjusted based on current throughput conditions and feedback from secondary RLC entities. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to optimize throughput in response to changing network conditions without requiring complex manual configuration.
3Measurement precision
If signaling delays are accounted for in control intervals, then flow control accuracy is improved, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-configures control intervals that account for expected signaling delays between primary and secondary RLC entities. By planning for delays in advance through predetermined control interval timing, the system maintains accurate flow control without requiring excessive real-time processing overhead to compensate for latency.
Data Source
AI summary
With multiple connections (20) communicatively coupling a User Equipment (UE) (12) to a wireless communication network (10), methods and apparatuses disclosed for performing flow control at the Radio Link Control (RLC) level advantageously control the shares of overall data conveyed on the respective connections (20) in a manner that accounts for changing conditions on the involved radio links (22) while accommodating signaling delays and other complexities that arise from distributed or virtualized implementations of the underlying processing apparatuses (18). The disclosed methods and apparatuses have applicability both to uplink multi-connectivity and downlink multi-connectivity, and apply to various multi-connectivity scenarios, including scenarios involving mixed Radio Access Technologies (RATs) and Carrier Aggregation (CA) configurations that aggregate two or more Component Carriers (CCs) for carrying user traffic between a UE (12) and the network (10).