Sidelink Clearance Handshake for Unlicensed Band Collisions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sidelink communications in unlicensed bands face issues such as the exposed node and hidden node problems, leading to increased frame collisions due to shared RF resources, which degrade performance.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a clearance request/grant handshake protocol before performing sidelink communications, where transmitting UEs send a clearance request broadcast signal and receiving UEs respond with a clearance grant signal, based on conditions like network congestion and traffic priority, to ensure successful communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If distributed resource allocation is used for sidelink communications, then device autonomy and flexibility are improved, but frame collision probability increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing a clearance request/grant handshake protocol before actual data transmission. The transmitting UE sends a clearance request broadcast signal to indicate intended reception UEs, and receiving UEs respond with clearance grant signals. This preliminary coordination phase occurs before the actual communication, allowing distributed devices to autonomously select resources while preventing frame collisions through advance notification and confirmation.
2Productivity
If RF resources are shared in unlicensed bands, then spectrum utilization is improved, but exposed node and hidden node problems worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through the clearance request/grant handshake protocol. Receiving UEs provide feedback in the form of clearance grant signals to the transmitting UE, indicating whether they are ready to receive data. This feedback loop allows the system to share RF resources efficiently in unlicensed bands while mitigating exposed node and hidden node problems by ensuring all participating devices are aware of each other's transmission intentions before data exchange begins.
Data Source
AI summary
A transmitting (Tx) User Equipment (UE) and one or more Receiving (Rx) UE may perform a sidelink communication in an unlicensed band using a clearance request/grant handshake. The clearance request/grant handshake may comprise transmitting, by the Tx UE using radio resource allocated to the sidelink communication, a clearance request broadcast signal indicating the one or more Rx UEs. The clearance request/grant handshake completes successfully when the Tx UE receives, from one or more of the Rx UEs, a clearance grant signal corresponding to the first clearance request broadcast signal. The sidelink communication is performed in response to the successful completion of the clearance request/grant handshake.