Sidelink Index Remapping for Reliable Terminal-to-Terminal Links

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication systems face challenges in flexibly applying sidelink configurations to improve reliability between terminal devices, leading to potential configuration failures and inefficiencies in sidelink communication.

Innovation Solution

A method where terminal devices update sidelink configurations based on updated indexes, utilizing network device interactions to ensure accurate application of configurations, including mechanisms for sidelink measurement and discontinuous reception, and timing considerations for communication.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the terminal device uses a fixed index mapping for sidelink configurations, then the configuration management is simple, but the reliability of sidelink communication cannot be improved flexibly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of sidelink communicationVSAvoidconfiguration management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic index mapping where the network device can reassign indexes to different terminal devices flexibly. When a terminal device's identifier changes or new devices are added, the network device updates the index mapping accordingly and notifies relevant terminal devices. This dynamic approach allows the system to adapt to changing communication scenarios, improving sidelink communication reliability while maintaining manageable complexity through centralized control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If the terminal device applies sidelink configuration based on updated index, then the communication reliability improves, but the configuration update process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesidelink communication reliabilityVSAvoidconfiguration application process
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the network device monitors terminal device identifiers and actively notifies terminal devices when index mappings change. The network device sends notification messages containing the updated index information to the relevant terminal devices, ensuring they apply the correct sidelink configurations. This feedback loop simplifies the operation for terminal devices as they only need to respond to notifications rather than continuously monitoring for changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The network device performs preliminary actions by pre-calculating and preparing updated index mappings before notifying terminal devices. When a terminal device's identifier changes or new devices are added, the network device proactively determines the new index assignments and sends notification messages in advance, allowing terminal devices to update their configurations before actual sidelink communication occurs, ensuring reliability without complicating the operational process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the network device sends configuration updates to terminal devices, then the configuration accuracy improves, but the signaling overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconfiguration accuracyVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by sending configuration updates only to specific terminal devices that are affected by index mapping changes. When a terminal device's identifier changes or a new device is added, the network device identifies and notifies only the terminal devices whose sidelink configurations need updating, rather than broadcasting to all terminal devices. This targeted approach maintains high configuration accuracy while minimizing signaling overhead by limiting updates to the minimum necessary recipients.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4701311A1Communication method and communication apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4701311A1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP4701311A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5
  • EP4701311A1 patent drawingFigure 6~8

AI summary

This application provides a communication method and a communication apparatus. The method may be applied to a first terminal device. The method includes: sending first information to a network device, where the first information includes an identifier of a second terminal device, and the identifier of the second terminal device corresponds to a first index; sending second information to the network device, where the second information includes the identifier of the second terminal device, and the identifier of the second terminal device corresponds to a second index; updating the first index corresponding to a first sidelink configuration to the second index; and performing sidelink communication with the second terminal device based on a second sidelink configuration, where the second sidelink configuration corresponds to the second index. The index corresponding to the identifier of the second terminal device is updated, so that the first terminal device can apply the sidelink configuration corresponding to the updated index, thereby ensuring reliability of the sidelink communication between the first terminal device and the second terminal device.