VoLTE Scheduling Parameter Adjustment Across Protocol Layers

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for scheduling voice services over LTE (VoLTE) struggle to ensure transmission quality due to fixed maximum throughput at the MAC layer, inadequate adaptive modulation and coding, and lack of adjustment for retransmissions and discard-timer periods, leading to suboptimal voice quality and throughput.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that dynamically obtain and adjust scheduling parameters such as MCS, retransmissions, and discard-timer periods across protocol sublayers (RLC, PDCP, MAC) to optimize voice service quality, ensuring optimal Mean Opinion Score (MOS), maximum throughput, or minimum bit error rate by selecting appropriate parameter values based on specific conditions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional adaptive modulation and coding is used for VoLTE service, then the modulation scheme or encoding rate can be adjusted, but the maximum throughput of the MAC layer is fixed, resulting in fixed MCS and inability to perform adaptive modulation and coding

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptive modulation and coding capabilityVSAvoidtransmission quality of link
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of scheduling parameters (MCS, retransmissions, discard-timer periods) across multiple protocol layers (MAC, RLC, PDCP) to enable adaptive modulation and coding for VoLTE services. The network side device dynamically determines these parameters based on channel conditions and service requirements, transforming the fixed throughput constraint into a flexible, multi-parameter control system that adapts to varying transmission conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Stability of the object's composition

If fixed maximum throughput is maintained at MAC layer for VoLTE, then service periodicity is preserved, but appropriate MCS cannot be selected at appropriate time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice periodicityVSAvoidMCS selection adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the control dimension from single-layer MAC throughput to multi-layer parameters including MCS, retransmissions, and discard-timer periods across MAC, RLC, and PDCP layers. This dimensional expansion allows the system to maintain periodic service generation while selecting appropriate MCS dynamically through additional control degrees of freedom at different protocol layers.

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

3Device complexity

If no adaptive adjustment is performed for retransmissions and discard-timer periods, then system complexity is reduced, but transmission quality of link cannot be ensured

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter adjustment complexityVSAvoidtransmission quality of link
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs comprehensive parameter changes across multiple dimensions: MCS (modulation and coding scheme), retransmissions (number of retry attempts), and discard-timer periods (buffer management). By dynamically adjusting these parameters at MAC, RLC, and PDCP layers based on channel conditions and service requirements, the system ensures transmission quality while managing complexity through systematic parameter control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3448083B1Method and apparatus for scheduling voice service in packet domain
Publication Date: 2022.05.25 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3448083B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3448083B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and an apparatus for scheduling a voice service in a packet domain. The method includes: obtaining at least one value of a first scheduling parameter corresponding to each protocol sublayer of at least two protocol sublayers of L2 of a voice service, determining a condition needing to be satisfied by quality of service of the voice service, determining a value of a service scheduling parameter of the voice service based on the condition needing to be satisfied by the quality of service of the voice service and based on the at least one value of the first scheduling parameter corresponding to each protocol sublayer of the at least two protocol sublayers of L2 of the voice service, and scheduling the voice service based on the value of the service scheduling parameter of the voice service. In this way, a service scheduling parameter is adjusted at an appropriate time when a particular condition is satisfied, so that transmission quality of a link can be ensured.