UE Data Forwarding in RRC Inactive Without GTP-U Tunnels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face inefficiencies in data forwarding for user equipment in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state, leading to unnecessary signaling overhead and delays due to the requirement of state transitions and resource wastage in tunnels for small or sporadic data transmissions.
Innovation Solution
Implement data forwarding mechanisms that utilize existing XnAP/F1AP messages to piggyback user packets without setting up GTP-U tunnels, using new 'User Data Container' fields in these messages for both uplink and downlink data transmission, optimizing resource usage for small data bursts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If user equipment in RRC inactive state performs state transition to transmit small data, then data transmission can be completed, but signaling overhead increases and transmission delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-establishes data forwarding paths and maintains context information at anchor nodes before actual data transmission is needed. When small data arrives, the UE can immediately forward data through the pre-configured path without performing state transition or establishing new connections, thereby eliminating setup delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the data forwarding functionality from the traditional state transition process. Instead of requiring UE to transition from inactive to connected state for small data transmission, the system separates the data forwarding path from the control plane state management, allowing data to be transmitted while UE remains in inactive state.
2Productivity
If GTP-U tunnels are set up for small data transmission, then data can be forwarded, but transport network layer resources are wasted
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of establishing full GTP-U tunnels with all associated signaling and resource allocation for small data transmissions, the system applies partial action by using simplified data forwarding mechanisms that only activate the necessary minimal resources. The anchor node maintains context information and handles forwarding without requiring complete tunnel setup, thus avoiding excessive resource consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of data forwarding by transitioning from a state where full GTP-U tunnel parameters are required to a state where simplified parameters suffice. The anchor node uses stored context information to forward data without requiring complete tunnel establishment parameters, effectively reducing the resource overhead while maintaining forwarding capability.
3Reliability
If anchor node stores full context information, then data forwarding accuracy improves, but memory resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies local quality by having anchor nodes store only the specific context information relevant to data forwarding for each UE, rather than maintaining all possible context data. The stored information is precisely tailored to the forwarding function - including necessary identifiers, routing information, and session parameters - while discarding redundant data, thus optimizing the balance between forwarding accuracy and memory usage.
Data Source
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AI summary
Presented are systems, methods, apparatuses, or computer-readable media for data forwarding for user equipment with data transmission. A non-anchor node may receive user data of a wireless communication device to send uplink. The non-anchor node may decode the user data into an uplink air interface protocol protocol data unit (PDU), using a partial portion of context information of the wireless communication device. The non-anchor node may send the uplink air interface protocol PDU in a user data container of a first message, to an anchor node having full context information of the wireless communication device.