Uplink Contention Resource Grouping for High-Density Device Connectivity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current data transmission methods in LTE systems face challenges in balancing the number of connected terminal devices with communication quality, as existing group scheduling-based solutions restrict the number of terminal devices per contention resource group to 8, leading to poor communication quality when exceeding this limit.

Innovation Solution

The method involves scheduling terminal devices into multiple groups within a contention resource group, using distinct group identifiers and time domain resources to reduce signaling overheads and improve resource utilization, allowing more terminal devices to be connected while maintaining communication quality by re-grouping based on SRS and BSR information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If group scheduling-based uplink contention transmission is used to reduce control channel overheads, then control channel overheads are reduced, but the maximum quantity of terminal devices in one contention transmission resource group is limited to 8, which restricts the total quantity of connected terminal devices in the system

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol channel overheadsVSAvoidquantity of connected terminal devices
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the contention transmission resource group into multiple terminal device groups, where each group is scheduled independently with its own control signaling. This allows the system to support more terminal devices than the original limit of 8 per group by dividing them into multiple smaller groups, each satisfying the orthogonality requirement while collectively supporting a larger total number of devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a group dimension by assigning different terminal device groups to different time domain resources. This dimensional expansion allows multiple groups to coexist in the same contention transmission resource group, effectively increasing the total capacity beyond the original single-group limit while maintaining the orthogonality constraint within each group.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Quantity of substance

If the quantity of terminal devices in a terminal device group exceeds 8, then the quantity of connected terminal devices increases, but communication quality of the terminal devices deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvequantity of connected terminal devicesVSAvoidcommunication quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting terminal devices into multiple groups with 8 or fewer devices each, the patent ensures that each group maintains good communication quality while the aggregate system supports a larger total number of connected devices. Each segmented group independently satisfies the orthogonality requirement.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses time domain resources as an additional dimension to separate terminal device groups. Different groups are assigned to different time slots or subframes, allowing the system to support more than 8 terminal devices while each group maintains communication quality by not exceeding the 8-device limit within its time slot.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Loss of substance

If multiple terminal device groups are scheduled with distinct group identifiers and time domain resources, then signaling overheads are reduced and resource utilization is improved, but device complexity increases due to re-grouping based on SRS and BSR information

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignaling overheadsVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables terminal devices to self-organize into groups based on their SRS (Sounding Reference Signal) and BSR (Buffer Status Report) information. Devices autonomously determine their group membership and timing without requiring complex centralized assignment, reducing the signaling overhead while managing the complexity through self-service mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3373688B1Method and device for transmitting data
Publication Date: 2022.04.06 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3373688B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3373688B1 patent drawingFigure 1C~2
  • EP3373688B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~4B

AI summary

A data transmission method and an apparatus are provided. In this solution, one contention resource group may be divided into a plurality of terminal device groups, and terminal devices with a same DMRS may exist in two different terminal device groups. Even when terminal devices with a same DMRS exist in two different terminal device groups, interference can still be avoided. Therefore, according to embodiments of the present invention, a quantity of connected terminal devices in one contention resource group is increased while good communication quality is obtained.