UL Priority Queue for TCP Connection Latency Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current TCP performance is sensitive to latency, particularly during the transmission of the first packets associated with connection establishment in wireless communication systems, which hinders efficient QoS differentiation and increases latency in setting up new connections.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a designated UL priority queue or radio bearer with the highest priority for targeted user-plane packets, such as the initial TCP connection packets, to reduce latency and enable early QoS differentiation, with the Network Convergence Sub-layer (NCS) configuring the UE to set up and use this priority queue for enhanced TCP/IP-based application performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If TCP connection establishment uses standard transmission queues, then queue structure is simple, but latency in transmitting first packets is high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelatency in transmitting first packetsVSAvoidqueue structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The transmission queue is segmented into multiple priority queues (first priority queue for first packets, second priority queue for other packets). This segmentation allows first packets to be transmitted with higher priority, reducing latency without requiring complete redesign of the queue structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the queue system are assigned different qualities/priorities. The first priority queue is optimized for low-latency transmission of critical first packets, while the second priority queue handles regular traffic. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying quality enhancement only where needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If all user-plane packets are treated equally, then system operation is simple, but QoS differentiation is poor

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveQoS differentiation capabilityVSAvoidpacket handling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary classification of packets into different priority queues before transmission. By pre-categorizing first packets into the first priority queue, the system enables QoS differentiation without adding complex real-time decision-making during transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The packet handling system becomes dynamic by allowing different handling paths for different packet types. First packets follow a high-priority path through the first queue, while other packets follow the standard path through the second queue, enabling flexible QoS management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Speed

If standard radio bearer is used for all packets, then resource allocation is simple, but connection establishment speed is slow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection establishment speedVSAvoidradio bearer configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The radio bearer resource is segmented into first radio bearer resources for first packets and second radio bearer resources for other packets. This segmentation enables faster connection establishment by dedicating specific resources to critical first packets without completely complicating the overall radio bearer structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3323259B1User-plane enhancements supporting in-bearer sub-flow QOS differentiation
Publication Date: 2022.11.09 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3323259B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3323259B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3323259B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

Embodiments concern managing traffic in a radio device. While classifying user-plane packets from multiple applications according to quality of service requirements, a specific user-plane packet is classified as/determined to be a predetermined special-type packet (e.g., the special-type packets establish a new TCP/IP connection for a newly activated application). Based on that, that specific user-plane packet is mapped to a pre-defined radio bearer associated with a preconfigured priority, for example a highest priority among all bearers to which any of these user-plane packets from the multiple applications are mapped. Then all the mapped user-plane packets are scheduled for transmission according to their respective priorities. For example, the specific user-plane packet could be a SDU having a SYN, SYN-ACK or ACK, and the network convergence sub-layer (NCS) constructs a L2 NCS PDU using a designated format with the SDU in the payload and context information in the header.