UE-Assisted Local Caching for Wireless Backhaul Delay Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication systems face challenges in reducing backhaul delay, particularly as demand for mobile broadband access increases, leading to latency issues that affect user experience.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of UE-assisted local caching, where user equipment (UE) provides assistance information (AI) to base stations to route packets directly to local caches, reducing the need for deep packet inspection and thereby accelerating data access and reducing traffic on backhaul links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If deep packet inspection is performed at base stations to determine packet routing, then packet routing accuracy is improved, but processing time and backhaul delay increase
Solution Approach 1:
The UE performs preliminary action by setting the AI bit in the PDCP header before packet transmission. This pre-marking of packets eligible for local caching eliminates the need for base stations to perform deep packet inspection, thereby reducing processing time and backhaul delay while maintaining routing accuracy through the UE's advance identification of cache-eligible packets.
Solution Approach 2:
The UE performs self-service by autonomously identifying and marking packets that should be routed to local caches. Instead of relying on base station inspection, the UE uses its own application-layer knowledge to set the AI bit, enabling the base station to make routing decisions based on this pre-provided information without extensive packet inspection.
2Productivity
If local caching is implemented to reduce backhaul traffic, then network efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the packet identification function from the base station and places it in the UE. By having the UE set the AI bit based on its own application-layer knowledge, the base station's complexity is reduced as it no longer needs to perform deep packet inspection. The caching logic is extracted to the edge (local caches), while the decision-making is simplified to the UE through the AI bit mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The AI bit in the PDCP header acts as an intermediary mechanism between the UE and base station. This simple binary indicator mediates the complex decision of packet routing, allowing the base station to make intelligent routing decisions without performing complex inspection. The intermediary bit simplifies the interaction between UE and network, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining efficiency.
3Loss of time
If UE assists in packet routing decisions, then backhaul delay is reduced, but UE processing requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The UE performs partial action by only setting the AI bit when packets are eligible for local caching, rather than processing every packet detail. This selective marking approach reduces UE processing requirements compared to full packet inspection, while still providing sufficient information for the base station to make accurate routing decisions and reduce backhaul delay for relevant packets.
Data Source
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AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure provide control-plane signaling to support a user equipment (UE)-assisted local caching feature, where information content may be locally cached at or near a base station in a wireless communication network. The control plane signaling may include a system information broadcast (SIB) to advertise availability of the feature; a UE capability message that indicates UE support of the feature; and/or radio resource control (RRC) configuration signaling to configure the UE to utilize the feature. Further aspects describe operation and maintenance (OAM) configuration of a base station to utilize the feature. A base station may additionally check for UE eligibility to utilize the feature, e.g., based on the user's subscription. In further examples, various enhancements to the user-plane signaling to utilize the UE-assisted local caching feature are provided. Other aspects, embodiments, and features are also claimed and described.