Sidelink Configured Grants Scaling for IIoT
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, particularly 5G NR, face limitations in the number of sidelink configured grants, which restricts the ability of user equipment (UE) to communicate with multiple devices, especially in industrial IoT (IIoT) deployments, leading to resource collisions and inadequate communication standards.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves expanding the quantity of sidelink configured grants beyond the conventional eight, allowing for more flexible scheduling and resource management through RRC signaling between the base station and UE, enabling joint activation and release of these grants, and using uplink control information for faster feedback confirmation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the number of sidelink configured grants is limited to eight, then the system maintains simple resource allocation, but the UE cannot communicate with multiple devices in IIoT deployments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the resource allocation process by introducing a two-stage configuration: first, multiple resource pools are defined with different parameters (time, frequency, spatial); second, individual sidelink configured grants are created by selecting and configuring resources from these pools. This segmentation allows scaling from 8 to up to 64 grants without fundamentally changing the allocation mechanism, thereby improving adaptability while managing complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a new dimension to resource allocation by introducing resource pool indexing and grant indexing mechanisms. Instead of simply increasing the number of grants linearly, it organizes grants in a multi-dimensional structure with pools, grants per pool, and activation states. This dimensional organization enables efficient management of up to 64 grants across multiple pools, resolving the contradiction between versatility and complexity.
2Productivity
If more than eight sidelink configured grants are supported, then resource utilization improves for multi-device communication, but scheduling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring multiple resource pools with complete sets of allocation parameters before actual sidelink communication occurs. The base station prepares pools with time, frequency, and spatial resources in advance, and pre-creates up to 64 configured grants with associated activation states. This preliminary configuration eliminates the need for dynamic resource negotiation during communication, improving resource utilization while minimizing scheduling overhead through batch-based resource allocation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the UE reports resource pool quality metrics and communication status back to the base station. The base station uses this feedback to dynamically adjust resource pool configurations and grant activations, optimizing resource utilization based on actual channel conditions and traffic patterns. This feedback loop ensures high productivity while avoiding unnecessary scheduling overhead by making data-driven allocation decisions.
3Reliability
If the conventional eight grant limit is maintained, then system complexity remains low, but resource collisions occur in dense IIoT deployments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the grant management space into multiple resource pools, each with its own set of configured grants. Instead of managing 64 grants as a single flat structure, it divides them into pools (e.g., 4 pools with 16 grants each, or 8 pools with 8 grants each). This segmentation reduces the management complexity for each individual pool while collectively providing up to 64 grants, thereby improving communication reliability in dense deployments without overwhelming the system with monolithic complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic activation and deactivation of configured grants based on real-time communication needs. The base station can activate specific grants from the pool of up to 64 configured grants as needed, and deactivate others when not required. This dynamic management allows the system to maintain low effective complexity by only actively managing a subset of grants at any given time, while having the capability to scale to 64 grants for high-reliability scenarios. The activation state transitions are controlled through downlink control information, enabling flexible adaptation to changing deployment conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus, methods, and computer-readable media for facilitating support for an increased quantity of sidelink configured grants are disclosed herein. An example method for wireless communication at a user equipment (UE) includes receiving scheduling information corresponding to a first quantity of sidelink configured grants, the first quantity of sidelink configured grants being greater than eight sidelink configured grants. The example method also includes receiving, from a base station, an activation of a sidelink configured grant of the first quantity of sidelink configured grants. The example method also includes transmitting sidelink traffic to a second UE based on the sidelink configured grant.