Remote Radio Head MAC/RLC Offloading for UE Configuration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently distributing medium access control (MAC) and radio link control (RLC) protocol layer functions across remote radio heads (RRHs) in user equipment (UE), leading to suboptimal performance and resource utilization.
Innovation Solution
Configuring remote radio heads (RRHs) to perform MAC and RLC protocol layer functions of user equipment (UE), enabling the UE to handle higher-layer functions, such as power headroom reporting and buffer status reporting, through a protocol configuration transmitted over an access link.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If MAC and RLC protocol layer functions are distributed across RRHs and UE, then communication efficiency and resource utilization are improved, but system complexity and configuration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the protocol stack functions by separating MAC and RLC layer functions from the UE and assigning them to RRHs. This segmentation allows each node to handle specific functions independently, improving communication efficiency while managing system complexity through functional decomposition.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces protocol configuration messages as an intermediary mechanism to manage the distributed architecture. These configuration messages coordinate between UE and RRHs, enabling the complex distributed system to operate efficiently by providing a standardized interface for function allocation and management.
2Productivity
If MAC and RLC functions are offloaded to RRHs, then resource utilization is optimized, but configuration and management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service mechanisms where the UE autonomously configures RRHs by transmitting protocol configuration messages. This allows the system to optimize resource utilization through distributed intelligence, with each node independently managing its own configuration without requiring centralized manual setup.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary configuration actions where protocol configuration messages are transmitted beforehand to establish the functional distribution between UE and RRHs. This preliminary setup enables the system to operate efficiently with optimized resource utilization while reducing ongoing configuration complexity.
3Loss of time
If protocol configuration is transmitted over access link, then setup time is reduced, but communication overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protocol configuration transmission with existing access link communications between UE and RRHs. By combining configuration messages with regular data transmissions, the system reduces setup time without significantly increasing overall communication overhead, as the same channel is utilized for both purposes.
Data Source
AI summary
Various aspects of the present disclosure generally relate to wireless communication. In some aspects, a user equipment (UE) may transmit, to a remote radio head (RRH), a protocol configuration, wherein the protocol configuration configures the RRH to perform one or more MAC protocol layer functions of the UE. The UE may perform a communication, wherein one or more higher layer functions associated with the communication are performed by the UE, wherein the one or more higher layer functions are associated with a higher layer than the MAC protocol layer. Numerous other aspects are described.