Sensing Operation Management Function for Cellular Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular network installations lack efficient mechanisms for dual-use communication and sensing operations, limiting their potential in applications like smart homes, retail, and intrusion detection.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a Sensing Operation Management Function (SOMF) that manages wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs) to perform periodic sensing operations, including selecting WTRUs, sending sensing requests, and receiving responses, with options for event-based Quality of Service (QoS) determination and resource assignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If cellular networks are used for traditional communication only, then communication reliability is maintained, but sensing capability and versatility are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a Sensing Operation Management Function (SOMF) that enables cellular networks to perform both traditional communication and sensing operations through a unified infrastructure. The SOMF manages sensing requests, coordinates WTRU sensing operations, and processes sensing reports, allowing the network to serve multiple purposes (communication and sensing) without requiring separate dedicated systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The SOMF acts as an intermediary layer between the communication network infrastructure and sensing applications. It receives sensing requests from application functions, translates them into coordinated sensing operations among WTRUs, and delivers sensing results back to applications, thereby enabling sensing capability without directly modifying the core communication protocols.
2Measurement precision
If periodic sensing operations are implemented across all WTRUs, then sensing coverage and detection precision are improved, but network resource consumption and energy usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the sensing operation into distinct segments: the SOMF segments the management of sensing requests, individual WTRUs segment the actual sensing measurements, and the network segments the coordination and reporting. This segmentation allows only selected WTRUs to perform sensing operations at specific times and locations, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining detection precision where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements periodic sensing operations where WTRUs perform sensing at scheduled intervals rather than continuously. The SOMF configures periodicity parameters for sensing requests, allowing WTRUs to enter low-power states between sensing events, thereby reducing energy consumption while still achieving adequate detection precision through periodic measurements.
3Reliability
If multiple WTRUs are coordinated for sensing operations, then sensing reliability and coverage are enhanced, but coordination complexity and signaling overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The SOMF serves as a central intermediary that manages coordination among multiple WTRUs. It receives sensing requests, selects appropriate WTRUs based on location and capability, assigns sensing tasks, and collects results. This centralized coordination approach enhances reliability by ensuring proper resource allocation and conflict resolution, while the automated SOMF logic keeps coordination complexity manageable through standardized procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where WTRUs report sensing results and status back to the SOMF, which then adjusts future sensing assignments based on this feedback. This feedback loop improves reliability by allowing the network to learn from past sensing operations and optimize WTRU selection and resource allocation, while the automated feedback processing keeps coordination complexity manageable.
4Adaptability or versatility
If event-based QoS determination is implemented, then service quality adaptability is improved, but processing complexity and computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic QoS determination based on sensed events. The SOMF evaluates sensing results in real-time and adjusts QoS parameters (such as reporting frequency, priority, and resource allocation) according to the detected event type and severity. This dynamic approach improves service quality adaptability by responding to actual conditions, while the event-driven nature of the processing keeps computational complexity manageable by focusing resources on significant events rather than continuous processing.
Data Source
AI summary
A sensing operation management function (SOMF) with a processor may be configured to receive a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU)-initiated sensing request from a network node. The WTRU-initiated sensing request may include one or more of a requested sensing area, a requested service area, a WTRU location, information associated with a serving SOMF, or a periodic service request. The SOMF may be configured to select one or more WTRUs to perform a sensing operation based on the WTRU-initiated sensing request. The SOMF may be configured to send one or more sensing requests to the one or more selected WTRUs. The one or more sensing requests may include one or more of a periodicity for performing the sensing operation, a periodicity for sending sensing responses, or a requested sensing mechanism. The SOMF may be configured to receive one or more sensing responses from the one or more WTRUs. The one or more sensing responses may include sensing data. The SOMF may be configured to send the sensing responses to a WTRU that initiated the WTRU-initiated sensing request via the network node.