US-12628169-B2 - Device and method for forwarding data from a remote device to a network node

US12628169B2US 12628169 B2US12628169 B2US 12628169B2US-12628169-B2

Abstract

An intermediate apparatus and method for relaying data from a remote wireless device to a base station with reduced latency is discussed. The method includes the steps of receiving a transmission having control information and data. Determining from the control information that the data is to be forwarded to a wireless communication node and that a future data transmission comprising data to be forwarded is scheduled. Estimating from the control information an amount of the data in the future data transmission. Generating a resource request comprising the estimated amount of data in the future data transmission and transmitting, the resource request towards the wireless communication node.

Inventors

Ling Yu
Vinh Van Phan
Faranaz Sabouri-Sichani
Berthold Panzner
Prajwal KESHAVAMURTHY
Nuno Manuel Kiilerich Pratas

Assignees

NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20230126
Priority Date: 20220128

Claims (17)

1 . An apparatus comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to: receive a transmission comprising control information and data; determine from said control information that said data is to be forwarded to a further wireless communication network node and that a future data transmission comprising data to be forwarded is scheduled; estimate from said control information an amount of said data in said future data transmission, wherein said scheduled future data transmission comprises a retransmission of said data or a periodic data transmission; generate a resource request said resource request comprising said estimated amount of said data in said future data transmission; and transmit said resource request towards said further wireless communication network node, wherein said control information comprises information regarding frequency resource and modulation and coding scheme that is to be used in said future data transmission, and said apparatus is caused to estimate said amount of said data from said frequency resource and modulation and coding scheme information.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein: said control information further comprises a priority indication indicative of a priority of said data in said future data transmission; said apparatus is caused to estimate from said priority indication and from a mapping from previously received data with said priority indication a logical channel group for forwarding said data; and said apparatus is caused to generate a buffer status report, said buffer status report comprising said amount of data and said logical channel group.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said transmission is received on one or more sidelink channel.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said control information further comprises time resource assignment, said time resource assignment indicating timings of said at least one future data transmission; and wherein said apparatus is configured to determine a time for transmission of said generated resource request in dependence upon said time resource assignment.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said apparatus is configured to estimate a time of receipt of said future data transmission in dependence upon said time resource assignment, and said determined time for transmission of said generated resource request is determined to be prior to said estimated time of receipt of said future data transmission.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said scheduled future data transmission comprises a retransmission of said data or a periodic data transmission and said future data transmission comprises said data retransmission and said time resource assignment indicates a timing of a plurality of said data retransmissions and said apparatus is caused to select one of said data retransmission timings when estimating said time of receipt of said data retransmission.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said apparatus is caused to determine a quality of a channel a signal is received on and to select said one of said data retransmission timings in dependence upon said channel quality, a higher channel quality triggering selection of an earlier one of said plurality of data retransmission timings.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein said apparatus is caused to determine a resource allocated for said data retransmission and to select said one of said data retransmission timings in dependence upon said resource allocated.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein: said apparatus is caused to transmit said resource request towards said further wireless communication node at said time determined by said apparatus.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said apparatus is further caused to: receive a grant of resource in response to said resource request; wherein said apparatus is caused in response to receipt of said grant of resource to transmit said data of said future data transmission on said granted resource where said future data transmission has been received and where said future data transmission has not been received to transmit an updated resource request on said granted resource.
11 . A system comprising: a remote wireless device; a further wireless communication network node; and an apparatus according to claim 1 , said apparatus comprising a relay node for relaying data from said remote wireless device to said further wireless communication network node; wherein said remote wireless device is configured to transmit wireless communication signals comprising control information and said data on one or more sidelink channels to said apparatus; said apparatus is configured to estimate an amount of data in a future data transmission based on said control information and to generate a resource request and to transmit said resource request to said further wireless communication network node; and said further wireless communication network node is configured to provide a grant of resource for transmission of said estimated amount of data in said future data transmission from said apparatus to said further wireless communication network node in response to receipt of said resource request.
12 . A method comprising: receiving a transmission comprising control information and data; determining from said control information that said data is to be forwarded to a further wireless communication node and that a future data transmission comprising data to be forwarded is scheduled; estimating from said control information an amount of said data in said future data transmission, wherein said scheduled future data transmission comprises a retransmission of said data or a periodic data transmission; generating a resource request said resource request comprising said estimated amount of said data in said future data transmission; and transmitting said resource request towards said further wireless communication node, wherein said control information comprises information regarding frequency resource and modulation and coding scheme that is to be used in said future data transmission, and said estimating comprises estimating said amount of said data from said frequency resource and modulation and coding scheme information.
13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein said control information further comprises a priority indication indicative of a priority of said data in said future data transmission; said estimating from said priority indication and from a mapping from previously received data with said priority indication to a logical channel group for forwarding said data; said generating said resource request generating a buffer status report, said buffer status report comprising said amount of data and said logical channel group.
14 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein said control information further comprises time resource assignment, said time resource assignment indicating timings of said at least one future data transmission; and said estimating determining a time for transmission of said generated resource request in dependence upon said time resource assignment.
15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein said estimating estimates a time of receipt of said future data transmission in dependence upon said time resource assignment, and said determined time for transmission of said generated resource request being determined to be prior to said estimated time of receipt of said future data transmission.
16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein said method comprises estimating said determined time to be within a predetermined time period prior to the estimated time of receipt of the future data transmission.
17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by an apparatus cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: determining from control information received in a transmission comprising data and said control information, that said data is to be forwarded to a further wireless communication node and that a future data transmission comprising data to be forwarded is scheduled; estimating from said control information an amount of said data in said future data transmission, wherein said scheduled future data transmission comprises a retransmission of said data or a periodic data transmission; and generating a resource request said resource request comprising said estimated amount of said data in said future data transmission, wherein said control information comprises information regarding frequency resource and modulation and coding scheme that is to be used in said future data transmission, and said estimating comprises estimating said amount of said data from said frequency resource and modulation and coding scheme information.

Description

TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD Various example embodiments relate to relaying data from a wireless device to a network node of a wireless communication network via an intermediate relaying apparatus. BACKGROUND Device to device (D2D) transmission is becoming increasingly common. New Radio NR uses higher frequencies than conventional 3G devices, and the effective distances that signals at these higher frequencies can travel is significantly reduced. This makes D2D communication more important providing a way of transmitting data in multiple stages or hops to a device with backhaul functionality. Transmitting data in multiple hops can significantly increase the latency of the data transmissions, particularly where resource for each transmission needs to be requested and provided before the data can be transmitted. Embodiments seek to reduce the delay in such multiple device transmissions. BRIEF SUMMARY The scope of protection sought for various embodiments of the disclosure is set out by the independent claims. The examples and features, if any, described in this specification that do not fall under the scope of the independent claims are to be interpreted as examples useful for understanding various embodiments of the disclosure. According to various, but not necessarily all, embodiments of the invention there is provided according to a first aspect an apparatus comprising: means for receiving a transmission comprising control information and data; means for determining from said control information that said data is to be forwarded to a wireless communication node and that a future data transmission comprising data to be forwarded is scheduled; means for estimating from said control information an amount of said data in said future data transmission; means for generating a resource request said resource request comprising said estimated amount of said data in said future data transmission; and means for transmitting, said means for transmitting being configured to transmit said resource request towards said wireless communication node. Where data is to be transmitted via an intermediate device that is in multiple stages or hops, the latency of the multiple stage transmission can be quite long. This is particularly so if there is a delay in acquiring a resource for the onward transmission. This delay could be reduced if resource for any onward transmission is requested in advance. However, where control information and data are transmitted in a transmission together, in some cases in a same slot or TTI (transmission time interval), then providing an advance request for resource for onward transmission of this data based on control information is not straightforward. However, it was recognised that the control information received may also be relevant to one or more future data transmissions and that were this information to be used to estimate an amount of data of such future transmissions, then a resource for the onward transmission of the data received in such future transmissions could be requested prior to the arrival of the data, thereby reducing latency. In some embodiments said scheduled future data transmission comprises a retransmission of said data or a periodic data transmission. Control information regarding future data transmissions may be received where the data from the original transmission is not correctly received and cannot be decoded and thus, one or more retransmissions of this data will occur. In such a case increased latency is a particular problem, however, the control information sent in the original transmission will be relevant for any retransmissions. Thus, where the data cannot be decoded but the control transmission can, an advance resource request can be generated such that when the data retransmission does occur a resource for the onward transmission is quickly available. The control information received may also be relevant in other cases such as where the data is one of a set of periodic data transmissions, such that the control information is again relevant for future data transmissions of this periodic set. In some embodiments, said control information comprises information regarding frequency resource and modulation and coding scheme that is to be used in said future data transmission, said means for estimating estimating said amount of said data from said frequency resource and modulation and coding scheme information. In some embodiments, said control information further comprises a priority indication indicative of a priority of said data in said future data transmission; said means for estimating is configured to estimate from said priority indication and from a mapping from previously received data with said priority indication to a logical channel group for forwarding said data; said means for generating said resource request generating a buffer status report, said buffer status report comprising said amount of data and said logical channel group. In some embodiments, said tra