Slow MCS Adaptation for VoIP Uplink Overhead Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

In real-time low-rate packet transmission over wireless links, especially for VoIP services, existing technologies face challenges with high uplink overhead due to frequent channel quality feedback and limited retransmissions in fast fading environments, which can lead to inefficient resource allocation and increased latency.

Innovation Solution

Implementing slow resource control and adaptive modulation and coding schemes, such as independent and groupwise MCS allocation, along with ACK-only feedback mechanisms to reduce feedback overhead and adapt to changing channel conditions without frequent CQI feedback, allowing for more conservative or aggressive modulation and coding changes based on received ACKs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If fast CQI feedback is used to enable fast AMC by signaling channel quality to the base station, then the base station can select optimal MCS for each UE, but significant uplink overhead is caused due to the large number of UEs

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveMCS adaptation speedVSAvoiduplink feedback overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple UEs into groups and applies a common MCS to all UEs within each group. This merging approach reduces the number of individual MCS decisions from one per UE to one per group, significantly reducing uplink feedback overhead while maintaining adaptive modulation and coding capabilities through group-level channel quality assessment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the set of UEs into multiple groups based on channel conditions and geometric characteristics. By dividing the large population of UEs into smaller segments, the system can manage feedback more efficiently at the group level while still providing differentiated MCS adaptation for different channel conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If multiple fast retransmissions are used to compensate for fast fading in poor channel conditions, then packet reception is improved, but the delay budget and voice frame rate limit the number of retransmissions for real-time low-rate services

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepacket reception reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary MCS selection based on group-level channel quality assessment before transmission. By pre-determining the appropriate MCS for each group based on current channel conditions, the system reduces the need for multiple retransmissions, thereby improving packet reception reliability while staying within the delay budget constraints of real-time services.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If independent MCS allocation is used to adapt to individual UE channel conditions, then transmission efficiency is optimized for each UE, but system complexity increases due to per-UE tracking

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidMCS management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the MCS management function from individual UE level to group level. Instead of independently tracking and managing MCS for each UE, the system manages MCS at the group level, significantly reducing system complexity while maintaining transmission efficiency through group-specific MCS adaptation that accounts for channel conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Quantity of substance

If groupwise MCS allocation is used to reduce feedback overhead by assigning common MCS to groups, then uplink overhead is reduced, but adaptation precision decreases compared to per-UE MCS selection

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefeedback overheadVSAvoidMCS adaptation precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating heterogeneous groups with different MCS characteristics tailored to specific channel conditions and geometric properties. Each group receives a MCS optimized for its local channel characteristics, ensuring that adaptation precision is maintained at the group level while still achieving significant overhead reduction compared to individual UE tracking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP2383921B1Slow adaptation of modulation and coding for packet transmission
Publication Date: 2015.11.25 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2383921B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2383921B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2383921B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

Systems and methods for performing MCS adaptation are provided. In some cases, the network (20-3) performs (5-3) MCS adaptation based on received ACKs.