Sidelink Repeater Association for Obstacle-Blocked Relay Paths
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sidelink communications in wireless networks face disruptions and reliability issues, particularly in environments with obstacles, necessitating improved methods for enhancing device-to-device communication.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an assisting node (AN) or repeater that relays or reflects sidelink communications between devices, using techniques such as beamforming and reconfigurable intelligent surfaces to establish alternate signal paths, improving communication reliability and resource allocation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If direct sidelink communication is used between devices, then communication speed and simplicity are improved, but communication reliability deteriorates in environments with obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a base station as an intermediary node to relay communications between sidelink devices. When direct device-to-device communication is blocked by obstacles, the base station receives transmissions from one device and forwards them to the other device, ensuring communication reliability is maintained while preserving the simplicity of sidelink operation.
2Reliability
If relay communication through base station is used, then communication reliability is improved, but communication latency and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic path selection where the communication route is adaptively chosen based on current channel conditions. The system dynamically switches between direct sidelink communication (when reliable) and base station relay communication (when blocked), minimizing latency by avoiding unnecessary relay paths while maintaining reliability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms to monitor the quality of direct sidelink channels. When obstacle detection or signal quality metrics indicate blockage, the feedback triggers a switch to base station relay mode. This feedback-driven approach ensures relay communication is only activated when necessary, reducing overall latency while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If multiple communication paths are established, then communication reliability is improved, but system complexity and resource allocation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the communication system into two distinct modes: direct sidelink mode and base station relay mode. This segmentation allows the system to maintain multiple communication paths without increasing overall complexity, as each mode has its own simplified resource allocation and management procedures. The base station manages relay path resources separately from direct sidelink resources, making resource allocation more tractable.
Data Source
AI summary
An assisting node receives from a network entity, configuration information relating to one or more control data sets, the one or more control data sets comprising information relating to a plurality of sidelink (SL) nodes. The AN provides a relay sidelink (SL) link via the assisting node between a transmitting (Tx) SL node and a receiving (Rx) SL node of at least one pair of SL nodes from the plurality of SL nodes. The at least one pair of SL nodes is based at least in part on the configuration information.