TSN Frame Pre-emption in Cellular Access Nodes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently scheduling low-latency, high-priority traffic alongside lower-priority traffic, particularly in time-sensitive networking (TSN) frameworks, where hard-real-time traffic needs to be prioritized without disrupting lower-priority communications.

Innovation Solution

The method involves determining a periodic time interval for high-priority traffic based on a TSN schedule, identifying a wireless communication frame structure with distinct resources for both priorities, and scheduling high-priority traffic during reserved intervals, while allowing lower-priority traffic to use these resources outside the reserved times or on separate resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If low-latency high-priority traffic is prioritized during periodic time intervals, then latency and reliability of critical communications are improved, but resource utilization for lower-priority traffic deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of high-priority traffic transmissionVSAvoidresource utilization for lower-priority traffic
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic resource allocation where the first resource is reserved for high-priority traffic during periodic time intervals but can be dynamically shared with lower-priority traffic outside these intervals. This dynamic switching between dedicated and shared resource modes resolves the contradiction by adapting resource allocation to traffic conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the availability parameter of the first resource based on time interval conditions. During periodic time intervals, the resource is dedicated to high-priority traffic; outside these intervals, the same resource becomes available for lower-priority traffic, thereby improving overall productivity without compromising high-priority transmission reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If separate resources are allocated for high-priority and lower-priority traffic, then transmission reliability of high-priority traffic is improved, but device complexity and resource overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission reliability of high-priority trafficVSAvoidcomplexity of resource management
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The first resource serves multiple functions: it is dedicated to high-priority traffic during periodic time intervals and simultaneously available for lower-priority traffic outside these intervals. This multi-functionality reduces the need for completely separate resources, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining transmission reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system pre-reserves the first resource for high-priority traffic during periodic time intervals in advance, ensuring transmission reliability. Outside these pre-defined intervals, the resource is automatically made available for lower-priority traffic, simplifying resource management through predetermined allocation patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If lower-priority traffic is allowed to use resources during periodic time intervals, then resource utilization improves, but latency of high-priority traffic increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresource utilization efficiencyVSAvoidlatency of high-priority traffic
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The time domain is segmented into periodic time intervals for high-priority traffic and non-periodic intervals for lower-priority traffic. This temporal segmentation ensures that high-priority traffic receives dedicated resources during its designated intervals, preventing latency, while lower-priority traffic utilizes resources during non-critical intervals, improving overall resource utilization.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic time intervals where the first resource is exclusively allocated to high-priority traffic. Between these periodic intervals, the resource becomes available for lower-priority traffic. This periodic allocation pattern ensures high-priority latency requirements are met while maximizing resource utilization during non-critical periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentEP3769579B1Time-sensitive networking frame pre-emption across cellular interface
Publication Date: 2022.11.23 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3769579B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3769579B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3769579B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, systems, and devices for wireless communications are described. An access node may schedule traffic with different levels of priority for communications with a user equipment. The access node may receive a time-sensitive networking time-aware schedule from a first interface via an Ethernet frame that defines a set of periodic time intervals reserved for transmitting traffic with a high-priority (e.g., hard-real time traffic). In some cases, one or more frequency resources may additionally be reserved for the high-priority traffic. Accordingly, during the reserved time intervals, if the high-priority traffic is present, the access node may transmit the high-priority traffic on the reserved frequency resource(s). Outside the reserved time intervals, the access node may schedule lower-priority traffic on the reserved frequency resource(s) in addition to the other resources. Alternatively, high-priority traffic may interrupt previously scheduled lower-priority traffic during the reserved time intervals if high-priority traffic is present.