Tentative Grant Mechanism for Shared Spectrum Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems operating in shared or unlicensed radio frequency spectrum bands face inefficiencies in medium access due to contention-based procedures, leading to unfair access and increased latency and overhead, particularly when different network operators have varying priorities.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a method where a base station associated with a higher priority network operator transmits a tentative grant to user equipment for a subsequent transmission opportunity, allowing it to monitor reservation signals from devices with higher priority operators to determine if communication will interfere, thereby reducing resource allocation for reservation signals and minimizing latency and overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If contention-based procedures (LBT, CCA) are used for medium access in shared spectrum, then devices can gain access to the channel, but access fairness deteriorates and overhead increases due to stringent SINR and spatial reuse standards
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing a tentative grant in the first TxOP that schedules resources for a second TxOP in advance. This allows the transmitting device to prepare and allocate resources before actual transmission, reducing the need for extensive contention-based procedures and improving access efficiency while maintaining fairness.
2Adaptability or versatility
If synchronized contention with priority-based access is implemented, then network operators can gain access based on priorities, but devices of different operators expend valuable medium resources increasing latency and overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by transmitting a tentative grant in advance that schedules resources for future TxOPs. This preliminary resource allocation reduces the need for devices to expend valuable medium resources during contention procedures, thereby reducing latency and overhead while maintaining priority-based access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses an intermediary mechanism where the base station transmits a tentative grant that acts as a mediator between the transmitting device and the medium resources. This tentative grant schedules resources in advance, allowing devices to access the medium more efficiently without expending excessive resources on contention procedures, thus reducing latency and overhead.
3Productivity
If tentative grants are transmitted for subsequent TxOPs, then resource allocation efficiency improves, but devices must monitor for reservation signals increasing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by transmitting tentative grants in advance that schedule resources for subsequent TxOPs. This preliminary resource allocation improves efficiency by reducing the need for extensive monitoring and contention procedures, as resources are pre-coordinated between transmitting devices.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. A base station of a first network operator (OP) may determine a priority for the first OP for a transmission opportunity of a shared or unlicensed channel. The priority may be lower than a priority of a second OP for the transmission opportunity. Base station may transmit a tentative grant to a user equipment (UE) of the first OP scheduling transmissions over resources of the transmission opportunity. The transmitting device of the first OP may monitor a contention window for reservation signals communicated by devices of the second OP. Based on the monitoring and the tentative grant, the transmitting device of the first OP may perform the transmission over the resources of the shared or unlicensed channel.