Sidelink Multi-Hop UE Relaying for Out-of-Coverage Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mobile and wireless telecommunication systems face challenges in efficiently supporting tracking applications, particularly in maintaining reachability and energy efficiency for out-of-coverage user equipment (UEs) in 5G networks.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of sidelink (SL) based multi-hop UE relaying, where UEs determine their tier and relaying mode to perform transmit and receive operations, allowing for efficient data forwarding and synchronization without relying on cellular state management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If cellular network location tracking is used for tracking applications, then network reachability is maintained, but power consumption increases for out-of-coverage UEs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces relay UEs as intermediaries to forward data between out-of-coverage UEs and the network. Instead of directly tracking out-of-coverage UEs through cellular infrastructure, the system uses intermediate relay nodes that are within network coverage to mediate communication, thereby reducing the power consumption of out-of-coverage UEs while maintaining network reachability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the tracking system into multiple tiers: Tier 0 (network-covered UEs acting as relays) and Tier 1 (out-of-coverage UEs being tracked). This segmentation allows the system to differentiate between UEs that can directly communicate with the network and those that require relay assistance, optimizing power consumption for each segment.
2Use of energy by moving object
If multi-hop relaying is implemented for out-of-coverage UEs, then power consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic relaying mode determination where UEs adapt their transmission and reception behavior based on their determined tier. The system dynamically adjusts transmit and receive occasions according to the UE's position in the relay hierarchy, allowing for flexible power management while maintaining manageable device complexity through rule-based adaptation.
3Reliability
If relay UEs determine transmit and receive occasions based on tier, then reachability of out-of-coverage UEs is enhanced, but communication protocol complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes periodic transmit and receive occasions for relay UEs based on their tier. This periodic structure creates a predictable communication rhythm that enhances reachability for out-of-coverage UEs while simplifying the protocol complexity through regular, repeating patterns rather than ad-hoc scheduling decisions.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for sidelink (SL) based multi-hop UE relaying, for example, to support tracking applications are provided. One method may include determining, at a user equipment (UE), to which tier of a sidelink (SL) based multi-hop user equipment (UE) relaying the user equipment (UE) belongs. The method may also include determining at least a relaying mode and arrangement of transmit and receive occasions for sidelink (SL) transmission and reception in dependence on the determined tier that the user equipment (UE) belongs, and performing, on the determined transmit and receive occasions, transmit and receive operations for the sidelink (SL) based multi-hop user equipment (UE) relaying based on the determined relaying mode and arrangement.