Transport Block Size Selection for Early Uplink Data Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

In Early Data Transmission (EDT) for enhanced machine-type communication (eMTC) and Narrowband Internet of Things (NB-IoT), the eNB's unawareness of the UE's data amount leads to inefficient resource allocation, resulting in resource waste and increased complexity for the eNB's blind decoding processes.

Innovation Solution

The UE autonomously selects an appropriate Transport Block Size (TBS) based on the uplink data, with a network device providing a reference TBS in the Random Access Response (RAR) to improve resource efficiency and reduce eNB complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the eNB allocates a large TBS to ensure sufficient resource allocation for UL data transmission, then the resource allocation reliability is improved, but resource waste increases due to padding when the actual data amount is small

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource allocation reliabilityVSAvoidresource waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables dynamic TBS selection by allowing the UE to autonomously choose from multiple candidate TBS values based on its actual data amount. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by matching the allocated TBS to the actual data size, ensuring sufficient resources when needed while minimizing padding waste when data is small.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the TBS parameter from a fixed eNB-determined value to a flexible UE-selected value from a set of candidate TBS values. This parameter change allows the system to adapt TBS to actual data conditions, improving reliability when data is large while reducing resource waste through padding when data is small.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the eNB performs blind decoding over multiple potential UE transmission formats to accurately detect UE data, then the detection accuracy is improved, but the eNB processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoideNB processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the UE autonomously select and determine its transmission parameters (including TBS) before transmission. This preliminary determination reduces the number of blind decoding attempts needed at the eNB, as the UE's selection from a predefined set of candidate formats provides the eNB with better detection guidance, thus reducing processing complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If the UE autonomously selects TBS based on UL data amount to reduce padding, then resource efficiency is improved, but the eNB becomes unaware of the exact data amount requiring blind decoding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource efficiencyVSAvoideNB blind decoding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism where the UE autonomously selects TBS from a set of candidate values provided by the eNB. This intermediary approach allows the UE to efficiently select appropriate TBS based on its data amount (improving resource efficiency) while the predefined candidate set acts as a mediator that limits the eNB's blind decoding complexity to a manageable number of options.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3782422B1Configuration of transport block size
Publication Date: 2026.03.04 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3782422B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3782422B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)~3(b)
  • EP3782422B1 patent drawingFigure 3(c)~4

AI summary

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods, devices and computer readable storage medium for transport block size (TBS) configuration. In example embodiments, a terminal device transmits a random access preamble to a network device. The terminal device receives a random access response from the network device. The random access response includes a resource allocated for a reference TBS. Based on the reference TBS, the terminal device determines a TBS for transmitting data to the network device. Then, the terminal device transmits the data to the network device by using the determined TBS and the allocated resource. This TBS configuration is more flexible.