Tactile Flow Packet Marking for QoS Reliability Matching

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge in multi-modal services, such as tactile internet, is the mismatch between tactile sensing thresholds and reliability, which affects data transmission efficiency and resource utilization.

Innovation Solution

A communication method that includes encoding data packets with indication information for tactile sensing thresholds, ensuring matching between tactile sensing thresholds and reliability by using Quality of Service (QoS) flows and Data Radio Bearers (DRBs) to filter out signals with small differences, thereby reducing unnecessary transmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional communication protocols are used in industrial control systems, then device compatibility and ease of operation are improved, but real-time communication reliability and determinism deteriorate due to protocol overhead and jitter

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice compatibilityVSAvoidreal-time communication reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The communication system is segmented into two distinct networks: a control plane using TCP/IP for high-level command and data management, and a data plane using UDP for time-critical control signals. This segmentation allows each plane to be optimized independently - TCP/IP provides robust error handling and device compatibility, while UDP delivers deterministic low-latency communication for real-time control, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and real-time reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If robust error handling and retransmission mechanisms are implemented, then data integrity is improved, but communication latency and loss of time worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata integrityVSAvoidcommunication latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments error handling mechanisms to apply only where needed: TCP/IP protocol handles error detection, acknowledgment, and retransmission for non-time-critical data in the control plane, while UDP provides error-free, latency-critical communication in the data plane by accepting minimal error handling. This selective application of error handling resolves the contradiction between data integrity and communication latency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different quality levels of error handling are applied locally to different communication streams based on their requirements. Time-critical control signals receive minimal error handling (UDP) to maintain low latency, while non-time-critical data receives comprehensive error handling (TCP/IP) to ensure integrity. This local differentiation resolves the universal contradiction between reliability and speed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If comprehensive device support and protocol compatibility are provided, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity and processing overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedevice supportVSAvoidprotocol processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protocol stack is segmented into two layers: TCP/IP for complex but non-time-critical data exchange, and a simplified UDP-based protocol for time-critical control. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity by allowing each layer to be independently optimized - the complex TCP/IP layer handles compatibility and error handling, while the simple UDP layer handles real-time control with minimal processing overhead, resolving the contradiction between comprehensive support and device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4482121B1Communication method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4482121B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4482121B1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP4482121B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Embodiments of this application disclose a communication method and apparatus, including: A server encodes a first signal to obtain a first data packet that includes first indication information indicating a first tactile sensing threshold, and sends the first data packet to a UPF network element. When the first signal, a second signal, and the first tactile sensing threshold meet a first condition, encodes the second signal to obtain a second data packet that includes second indication information indicating the first tactile sensing threshold, and sends the second data packet to the UPF network element, where the first signal and the second signal correspond to a same tactile flow. The UPF network element sends, to an access network device by using a first QoS flow corresponding to the first tactile sensing threshold, a fourth data packet that includes fourth indication information indicating the first tactile sensing threshold. The access network device sends a seventh data packet to a terminal device by using a first DRB corresponding to the first QoS flow. Because a data packet includes information indicating a tactile sensing threshold, matching between the tactile sensing threshold and reliability can be ensured.