Blind Decoding of Contention-Based Uplink Transmissions

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Solution Overview

Problem

In wireless communication networks, the process of blind decoding for contention-based uplink transmissions becomes complex and resource-intensive when a large number of devices are served by a network node, leading to increased latency and power consumption, especially when devices use different modulation and coding schemes.

Innovation Solution

A method where wireless devices register for contention-based uplink transmissions on a reserved radio resource, allowing the network node to perform blind decoding only on registered devices, reducing the number of potential devices and modulation schemes to consider, thereby simplifying the decoding process and reducing overhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If blind decoding is performed across all wireless devices in the cell, then the network node can decode contention-based uplink transmissions from any device, but the decoding complexity and processing load increase significantly when the number of devices is large

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAbility to decode transmissions from any deviceVSAvoidDecoding complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the set of all potential transmitting devices into two groups: registered devices (who have declared intent to transmit) and non-registered devices. The network node performs blind decoding only on the segmented subset of registered devices, rather than all devices in the cell, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining the ability to decode transmissions from any device that has properly registered.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a preliminary registration action where wireless devices must declare their intent to transmit before actually transmitting data. This preliminary action provides the network node with advance knowledge of which devices will be transmitting, allowing the node to prepare and limit its blind decoding efforts to only those registered devices, thus reducing processing load before the actual transmission occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If blind decoding is performed across all potential transmitting devices, then the network node can identify the transmitting device, but the latency increases due to the time required to go through all identifiers

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveAbility to identify transmitting deviceVSAvoidDecoding latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The registration action serves as a preliminary step that provides the network node with advance knowledge of which devices will be transmitting. This allows the node to immediately focus its decoding efforts on the registered subset, eliminating the time required to iterate through all possible device identifiers and significantly reducing decoding latency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By segmenting the device set to only include registered transmitters, the patent reduces the search space for identification. The network node only needs to check identifiers of registered devices rather than all devices in the cell, directly reducing the time required to identify the transmitting device while maintaining reliable identification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of substance

If contention-based uplink transmission is used instead of access reservation, then the signaling overhead is reduced, but the risk of collision increases when multiple devices transmit simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveSignaling overheadVSAvoidCollision risk
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where the network node provides acknowledgment to registered devices about their registration status and transmission opportunities. This feedback allows devices to adjust their transmission timing and reduces the probability of simultaneous transmissions from multiple registered devices, thereby managing collision risk while maintaining low signaling overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

By requiring preliminary registration before transmission, the patent creates a controlled environment for contention-based access. The network node can manage and coordinate transmissions among registered devices, reducing random collisions compared to completely open contention access, while still avoiding the high signaling overhead of traditional reservation-based access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Quantity of substance

If the network node serves a great number of wireless devices, then the network capacity is high, but the blind decoding process becomes processing-heavy and complex

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveNumber of served devicesVSAvoidProcessing load
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the large set of served devices into a smaller subset of registered transmitters. Even when the network serves hundreds or thousands of devices, only those who have registered for contention-based transmission need to be considered for blind decoding. This segmentation maintains high network capacity while keeping the processing load manageable by focusing only on the active transmitter subset.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The preliminary registration action creates an advance inventory of potential transmitters, allowing the network node to prepare decoding resources efficiently. When serving a large number of devices, this preliminary information enables the node to allocate processing power only to registered devices, preventing the processing load from scaling linearly with the total number of served devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4096339B1Method and wireless device for decoding of contention based uplink transmissions
Publication Date: 2024.03.27 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP4096339B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4096339B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4096339B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

A network node (200), a wireless device (202) and methods therein, for decoding of contention based uplink transmissions of data in a cell served by the network node. The network node (200) registers the wireless device (202) for contention based uplink transmissions of data on a radio resource reserved for contention based uplink transmissions of data, e.g. when receiving a registration request sent from the wireless device, such that the wireless device (202) is included in a set (200a) of wireless devices being registered for contention based uplink transmissions of data on the radio resource in the cell. The network node (200) then performs blind decoding of uplink signals transmitted on the radio resource by considering the wireless devices in the set. In this way, the decoding is made more efficient by disregarding any other wireless devices in the cell which are not registered for contention based uplink transmissions of data on the radio resource in the cell.