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EP-4740337-A1 - PACKET DATA CONVERGENCE PROTOCOL LAYER ENCODING/DECODING PROCEDURES FOR CELL-FREE NETWORKS

EP4740337A1EP 4740337 A1EP4740337 A1EP 4740337A1EP-4740337-A1

Abstract

Packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer encoding and decoding procedures for use in cell-free networks are disclosed. A transmitter (e.g., a user equipment (UE) or a cluster of base stations that serves a UE) performs PDCP processing using a PDCP entity by: generating a concatenated service data unit (SDU) set by concatenating a plurality of SDUs for a protocol data unit (PDU) set; segmenting the concatenated SDU set into one or more systematic PDUs of the PDU set; performing an encoding with the one or more systematic PDUs to generate one or more redundant PDUs of the PDU set; and distributing the one or more systematic PDUs and the one or more redundant PDUs across one or more radio link control (RLC) entities for transmission. Complimentary processes performed by a PDCP entity of a receiver (e.g., a cluster of base stations or a UE) are also disclosed.

Inventors

  • ZAEV, DANILA
  • SOLIMAN, Ahmed M.
  • MOHAMED, AHMED GAMAL HELMY
  • NAGUIB, AYMAN, F.

Assignees

  • Apple Inc.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240808

Claims (20)

  1. 1. A method of a user equipment (UE) that is served by a cluster of base stations for packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) processing for a PDCP entity, comprising: generating a concatenated service data unit (SDU) set by concatenating a plurality of SDUs for a protocol data unit (PDU) set; segmenting the concatenated SDU set into one or more systematic PDUs of the PDU set; performing an encoding with the one or more systematic PDUs to generate one or more redundant PDUs of the PDU set; and distributing the one or more systematic PDUs and the one or more redundant PDUs across one or more radio link control (RLC) entities for transmission to one or more sub-clusters of the cluster of base stations that correspond to the one or more RLC entities.
  2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the concatenated SDU set is further generated by: generating an authentication code for the plurality' of SDUs; and concatenating, within the concatenated SDU set, the authentication code with the plurality of SDUs.
  3. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising ciphering the concatenated SDU set prior to segmenting the concatenated SDU set.
  4. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the encoding comprises a Reed-Solomon erasure encoding.
  5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more systematic PDUs and each of the one or more redundant PDUs is of a same size.
  6. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a number of the one or more systematic PDUs.
  7. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a total number of the one or more systematic PDUs and the redundant PDUs.
  8. 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting an RLC ratio, wherein the one or more systematic PDUs and the one or more redundant PDUs are distributed across the RLC entities according to the RLC ratio.
  9. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, from the cluster, a recommended RLC ratio, wherein the RLC ratio is selected by the UE according to the recommended RLC ratio.
  10. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the PDU set comprises a virtual PDU set.
  11. I L A method of a user equipment (UE) that is served by a cluster of base stations for packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) processing for a PDCP entity, comprising: receiving, from one or more radio link control (RLC) entities corresponding to one or more sub-clusters of the cluster of base stations, one or more protocol data units (PDUs) of a PDU set performing, based on a determination that a number of the one or more PDUs is greater than or equal to a number of systematic PDUs for the PDU set, a decoding with the one or more PDUs of the PDU set to generate a concatenated service data unit (SDU) set; decomposing the concatenated SDU set into a plurality of SDUs for the PDU set; and providing the plurality of SDUs to a higher layer protocol entity of the UE.
  12. 12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: retrieving an authentication code for the plurality of SDUs from the concatenated SDU set; and authenticating the plurality of SDUs using the authentication code.
  13. 13. The method of claim 11, further comprising deciphering the concatenated SDU set prior to decomposing the concatenated SDU set.
  14. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein the decoding comprises a Reed-Solomon erasure decoding.
  15. 15. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the one or more PDUs is of a same size.
  16. 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the PDU set comprises a virtual PDU set.
  17. 17. A method of a cluster of base stations that is serving a user equipment (UE) for packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) processing for a PDCP entity, comprising: generating a concatenated service data unit (SDU) set by concatenating a plurality of SDUs for a protocol data unit (PDU) set; segmenting the concatenated SDU set into one or more systematic PDUs of the PDU set; performing an encoding with the one or more systematic PDUs to generate one or more redundant PDUs of the PDU set; and distributing the one or more systematic PDUs and the one or more redundant PDUs across one or more radio link control (RLC) entities corresponding to one or more sub-clusters of the cluster of base stations for transmission to the UE.
  18. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the concatenated SDU set is further generated by: generating an authentication code for the plurality of SDUs; and concatenating, within the concatenated SDU set, the authentication code with the plurality of SDUs.
  19. 19. The method of claim 17, further comprising ciphering the concatenated SDU set prior to segmenting the concatenated SDU set.
  20. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the encoding comprises a Reed-Solomon erasure encoding.

Description

PACKET DATA CONVERGENCE PROTOCOL LAYER ENCODING/DECODING PROCEDURES FOR CELL-FREE NETWORKS TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This application relates generally to wireless communication systems, including enhancements to PDCP layer processing (e.g., PDCP layer encoding and decoding) in cell-free networks. BACKGROUND [0002] Wireless mobile communication technology uses various standards and protocols to transmit data between a base station and a wireless communication device. Wireless communication system standards and protocols can include, for example, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) (e.g., 4G), 3GPP New Radio (NR) (e.g., 5G), and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802. 11 standard for Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) (commonly known to industry groups as Wi-Fi®). [0003] As contemplated by the 3GPP, different wireless communication systems' standards and protocols can use various radio access networks (RANs) for communicating between a base station of the RAN (which may also sometimes be referred to generally as a RAN node, a network node, or simply a node) and a wireless communication device known as a user equipment (UE). 3GPP RANs can include, for example. Global System for Mobile communications (GSM), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) RAN (GERAN). Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN), and/or Next-Generation Radio Access Network (NG-RAN). [0004] Each RAN may use one or more radio access technologies (RATs) to perform communication between the base station and the UE. For example, the GERAN implements GSM and/or EDGE RAT, the UTRAN implements Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) RAT or other 3 GPP RAT, the E-UTRAN implements LTE RAT (sometimes simply referred to as LTE). and NG-RAN implements NR RAT (sometimes referred to herein as 5G RAT, 5G NR RAT, or simply NR). In certain deployments, the E-UTRAN may also implement NR RAT. In certain deployments, NG-RAN may also implement LTE RAT. [0005] A base station used by a RAN may correspond to that RAN. One example of an E-UTRAN base station is an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E- UTRAN) Node B (also commonly denoted as evolved Node B, enhanced Node B, eNodeB, or eNB). One example of an NG-RAN base station is a next generation Node B (also sometimes referred to as a g Node B or gNB). [0006] A RAN provides its communication services with external entities through its connection to a core network (CN). For example, E-UTRAN may utilize an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) while NG-RAN may utilize a 5G Core Network (5GC). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] To easily identify the discussion of any particular element or act. the most significant digit or digits in a reference number refer to the figure number in which that element is first introduced. [0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a diagram for one example of the use of PDU sets in a realtime application context. [0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a diagram for an example of clustering in a cell-free network architecture. [0010] FIG. 3 illustrates a diagram showing aspects of radio protocol use in cell-free network mechanisms. [0011] FIG. 4 illustrates an example of a PDU set corresponding to a use of a Reed- Solomon erasure coding mechanism. [0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a network topology and a corresponding protocol stack according to an embodiment. [0013] FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B illustrate graphs of one dataset for the use of various PDCP PDU coding strategies and for various numbers of PDUs in the case of a stationary UE. [0014] FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B illustrate graphs of one dataset for the use of various PDCP PDU coding strategies and for various numbers of PDUs in the case of a highly mobile UE. [0015] FIG. 8A illustrates a flowchart for the functionality of a PDCP entity at a transmitter, according to embodiments discussed herein. [0016] FIG. 8B illustrates a flowchart for a functionality of a PDCP entity at a receiver, according to embodiments discussed herein. [0017] FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B taken together illustrate differences between first PDCP entity processing as used in prior PDCP entities and second PDCP entity processing as used by improved PDCP entities as contemplated herein. [0018] FIG. 10 illustrates a diagram of PDCP processing at a PDCP entity as may be used by a transmitter, according to embodiments herein. [0019] FIG. 11 illustrates a diagram of PDCP processing at a PDCP entity' as may be used by a receiver, according to embodiments herein. [0020] FIG. 12 illustrates a diagram of a protocol for PDU set encoding as may be used by a PDCP entity of a transmitter, according to embodiments herein. [0021] FIG. 13 illustrates a diagram for the non-integrated handling of PDU sets using virtual PDU sets by a PDCP entity at a transmitter, according to embodiments herein. [0022] FIG. 14 illustrates a method of a UE that is served by a clus