Wireless Scheduling-Free Slot Alignment for Low-Latency Industrial Links

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Solution Overview

Problem

The coexistence of orchestratable and unorchestratable industrial devices in wireless communication systems poses challenges in reducing data transmission delay, optimizing resource utilization, and balancing device configuration, which are focal points in industrial communication scenarios.

Innovation Solution

The access network device adjusts air interface scheduling moments for unorchestratable devices based on received information, allocating scheduling-free slots and indicating orchestratable devices to adjust their transmission moments, thereby reducing time intervals and minimizing data transmission delay without requiring network-wide upgrades.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If the air interface scheduling moment is adjusted to reduce the time interval with the service packet transmission moment, then the data transmission delay is reduced, but the device complexity increases due to dynamic scheduling adjustments

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission delayVSAvoidscheduling adjustment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a time offset parameter as an intermediary mechanism to adjust the air interface scheduling moment relative to the service packet transmission moment. This offset acts as a mediator that reduces the time interval without requiring complex real-time scheduling adjustments, thereby reducing data transmission delay while maintaining manageable device complexity through a parameter-based adjustment approach rather than complex control logic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies parameter changes by dynamically adjusting the time offset parameter that defines the relationship between the service packet transmission moment and the air interface scheduling moment. By changing this temporal parameter, the system reduces the time interval and consequently the data transmission delay, while avoiding the need for more complex scheduling mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If network-wide devices are upgraded to improve scheduling capability, then the communication performance is enhanced, but the cost consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication performanceVSAvoidcost consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality by applying scheduling adjustments only to specific unorchestratable devices that require it, rather than upgrading all network-wide devices. The access network device dynamically adjusts the air interface scheduling moment based on the specific needs of individual unorchestratable devices, thereby enhancing communication performance for those devices without incurring the cost of network-wide upgrades

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by implementing scheduling adjustments only for unorchestratable devices rather than all devices in the network. This selective approach enhances communication performance for the specific subset of devices that need it, while avoiding the unnecessary cost consumption associated with upgrading all network devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Loss of time

If the service packet transmission moment is adjusted to align with air interface scheduling moment, then the data transmission delay is reduced, but the adaptability of unorchestratable devices decreases since their transmission moments cannot be orchestrated

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission delayVSAvoidtransmission moment flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies the inversion principle by reversing the traditional approach: instead of adjusting the unorchestratable device's transmission moment to match the air interface scheduling moment, the system adjusts the air interface scheduling moment to align with the device's fixed transmission moment. This maintains the device's adaptability while still reducing the time interval and data transmission delay

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP4676116A1Communication method and communication apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.01.07 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4676116A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4676116A1 patent drawingFigure 3~4(2)
  • EP4676116A1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Embodiments of this application provide a communication method and a communication apparatus. The method includes: A first apparatus sends first information to an access network device through a core network, where the first information indicates the access network device to adjust a wireless air interface scheduling-free moment of a second apparatus based on a first moment, and the first moment is a service packet transmission moment of the second apparatus; and the access network device sends first configuration information to the second apparatus based on the first information, where the first configuration information includes an air interface scheduling-free slot resource allocated by the access network device to the second apparatus. When a time interval between the service packet transmission moment and the air interface scheduling moment that correspond to the second apparatus is large, in this application, the air interface scheduling moment corresponding to the second apparatus is adjusted, to reduce a transmission delay and improve communication performance.