Multi-Interface Wireless Scheduling for Connection Reliability

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in maintaining reliable, high-throughput connectivity for applications like live video streaming, as temporary disruptions can cause service degradation or loss of video content, especially in professional and semi-professional use cases.

Innovation Solution

The system employs multiple wireless interfaces operating in different transmission modes, where one interface transmits payload data and another transmits keep-alive messages without payload data to maintain connection quality, allowing dynamic rescheduling based on measured connection quality metrics to ensure continuous and reliable data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single wireless interface transmits payload data continuously, then throughput is maintained, but reliability deteriorates due to temporary disruptions and service degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoiddata transmission throughput
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the data transmission function across multiple wireless interfaces (e.g., Wi-Fi and cellular). The payload data is split and transmitted through different interfaces simultaneously or alternatively, so that if one interface experiences disruption, the other can maintain the data stream, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing throughput.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically changes transmission parameters by switching between different wireless interfaces based on real-time connection quality metrics. When one interface degrades, the system transitions to another interface with better parameters, maintaining both reliability and throughput through adaptive parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If multiple wireless interfaces transmit simultaneously, then reliability improves through redundancy, but energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of multiple wireless interfaces based on real-time connection quality metrics. Instead of keeping all interfaces continuously active, the system activates additional interfaces only when needed (when primary interface quality degrades) and deactivates them when not needed, thereby maintaining reliability while optimizing power consumption through dynamic state changes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the operational parameters of wireless interfaces dynamically - switching between active transmission, standby, and powered-off states based on connection quality requirements. This parameter adjustment allows the system to maintain reliability through interface redundancy only when necessary, reducing overall energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Reliability

If wireless interfaces transmit frequently to maintain connection, then connection quality is maintained, but radio resources are wasted through unnecessary transmissions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection qualityVSAvoidradio resource waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where wireless interfaces report connection quality metrics to a scheduler, which then intelligently decides when and how to transmit. This feedback loop enables the system to maintain connection quality by transmitting only when necessary, avoiding unnecessary transmissions and reducing radio resource waste while preserving reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous transmission to maintain connection, the system uses partial action by transmitting only when connection quality thresholds are not met. The scheduler monitors connection quality and triggers transmissions selectively, using just enough action to maintain reliability without excessive radio resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

4Reliability

If a wireless interface is kept in standby mode to maintain connection, then connection availability is improved, but transmission capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection availabilityVSAvoidtransmission capacity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the transmission capacity across multiple wireless interfaces. While one interface remains in standby mode to maintain connection availability, another interface handles the payload data transmission. This segmentation allows the system to preserve connection availability through standby interfaces while maintaining transmission capacity through active interfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system makes wireless interfaces multi-functional - they can operate in different modes (standby, active transmission, data transmission) depending on system needs. A single interface can serve both as a connection maintainer in standby mode and as a data transmission interface when activated, thereby achieving both connection availability and transmission capacity through universal interface design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3809786B1Selective transmissions in wireless device
Publication Date: 2023.08.23 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP3809786B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3809786B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3809786B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

This document discloses a solution for adaptive transmission of data packets. According to an aspect, a method comprises: scheduling a first wireless interface of a user device to operate in a first transmission mode where the first wireless interface transmits payload data to a wireless network; scheduling a second wireless interface of the user device or another user device to operate in a second transmission mode where the second wireless interface transmits keep alive messages without payload data to the wireless network or to another wireless network; receiving at least one measured connection quality metric from the first wireless interface and from the second wireless interfaces; and rescheduling, on the basis of the received connection quality metrics, a transmission mode of at least one of the first wireless interface and the second wireless interface.