Enhanced rate signaling in wireless networks with relay function
In cellular or other wireless networks, relay communication devices can be introduced to support an indirect network connection for remote communication devices in out-of-coverage (OoC) areas to thereby extend access device coverage and increase available data capacity for communication devices that may not be in optimal coverage of an access device. For directly connected communication devices, mechanisms for bit rate recommendation, bit rate query and desired bit rate indication are defined. However, these existing mechanisms do not work for communication devices indirectly connected via a relay communication device. It is therefore proposed to determine a new data rate recommendation and/or limit for one or more downstream communication devices at least partly based on an identity of a logical channel indicated in a received recommendation and/or limit.
1 . An apparatus for controlling scheduling of communication resources to communication devices at a relay communication device in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:
a computing unit; and
a non-transitory memory storing program code that, when executed by the computing unit, causes the computing unit to:
receive, from an access device of the wireless network or from an upstream relay communication device of the relay communication device, a received data rate recommendation and/or limit providing an identity of a logical channel, wherein the received data rate recommendation and/or limit comprises one of:
an aggregate data rate recommendation and/or limit indicating the logical channel pertaining to at least two communication devices,
an aggregate data rate recommendation and/or limit indicating the logical channel pertaining to at least two logical channels of a communication device, or
a data rate recommendation and/or limit for the logical channel that has been assigned to one or more downstream communication devices by the relay communication device;
determine a new data rate recommendation and/or limit for one or more downstream communication devices at least partly based on the identity of the logical channel; and
transmit the determined new data rate recommendation and/or limit to at least one of the one or more downstream communication devices.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to determine the new data rate recommendation and/or limit to be less than or equal to the received data rate recommendation and/or limit.
3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the received data rate recommendation and/or limit comprises indicator data that indicates whether the received recommendation and/or limit applies to an upstream data flow or a downstream data flow.
4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to send to the access device or the upstream relay communication device of the relay communication device a request for an aggregate desired data rate for a logical channel.
5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the request for the aggregate desired data rate is triggered by and at least partly based on at least one request for a desired data rate received from one of the one or more downstream communication devices.
6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to receive a request for a desired data rate for a logical channel from one of the one or more downstream communication devices, to determine based on the received request a data rate recommendation and/or limit for the logical channel, and to respond to the request with the determined data rate recommendation and/or limit.
7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to look up in an internal table of the relay communication device a corresponding downstream communication device and an identity of another logical channel for which to send a new data rate recommendation and/or limit to the downstream communication device in response to the received data rate recommendation and/or limit indicating the identity of the logical channel.
8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to create an additional logical channel on a wireless link with the access device or the upstream relay communication device when a new logical channel has been created for a communication link with one of the one or more downstream communication devices.
9 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the internal table is configured to map the identity of the logical channel between the relay communication device and the access device, or between the relay communication device and the upstream relay communication device, to a plurality of identities of logical channels between the relay communication device and the one or more downstream communication devices.
10 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data rate recommendation and/or limit is transmitted using at least one of Medium Access Control protocol, Radio Link Control protocol, adaptation protocol carrying Packet Data Convergence Protocol data, Packet Data Convergence Protocol, Radio Resource Control protocol, and Service Data Adaptation Protocol.
11 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to collect information about at least one desired data rate received from the one or more downstream communication devices, to transmit the collected information to the upstream relay communication device or to the access device, to receive the received data rate recommendation and/or limit from the upstream relay communication device or the access device in response to the collected information, and to distribute the received data rate recommendation and/or limit at least partially among the one or more downstream communication devices using a predetermined policy.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to select the predetermined policy based on at least one of a quality indicator of a logical channel of the relay communication device, a number of downstream communication devices of the relay communication device, a number of upstream communication devices of the relay communication device, a type of downstream communication device, a policy selection information received from an upstream communication device or the access device, a quality of service identifier, a network slice identifier, or a buffer status of the relay communication device.
13 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to determine a further new data rate recommendation and/or limit for one or more downstream communication devices triggered by loss of a communication link between the relay communication device and at least one other communication device, or triggered by a determination that said communication link is to be stopped; and
transmit the further new data rate recommendation and/or limit to at least one downstream communication device.
14 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is the relay communication device for the wireless network.
15 . A wireless communication system comprising the relay communication device according to claim 14 and the access device, wherein the access device is configured to receive from the relay communication device an aggregate desired data rate for the logical channel, and to determine based on an identity of the logical channel for which downstream communication devices the aggregate desired data rate applies.
16 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to look up in an internal table of the relay communication device an identity of another logical channel, for which to send a new request for a desired data rate to the access device or to the upstream relay communication device of the relay communication device, in response to a request for the desired data rate received from one of the one or more downstream communication devices, wherein the request indicates the identity of the logical channel.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the program code further causes the computing unit to create an additional logical channel on a wireless link with the access device or the upstream relay communication device when a new logical channel has been created for a communication link with one of the one or more downstream communication devices.
18 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the internal table is configured to map the identity of the logical channel between the relay communication device and the access device, or between the relay communication device and the upstream relay communication device, to a plurality of identities of logical channels between the relay communication device and the one or more downstream communication devices.
19 . A method of controlling scheduling of communication resources to communication devices in a wireless network, the method comprising:
receiving, from an access device or from an upstream relay communication device of the wireless network a received data rate recommendation and/or limit providing an identity of a logical channel, wherein the received data rate recommendation and/or limit comprises one of:
an aggregate data rate recommendation and/or limit indicating the logical channel pertaining to at least two communication devices,
an aggregate data rate recommendation and/or limit indicating the logical channel pertaining to at least two logical channels of a communication device, or
a data rate recommendation and/or limit for the logical channel that has been assigned to one or more downstream devices by the relay communication device;
determining a new data rate recommendation and/or limit for one or more downstream communication devices at least partly based on the identity of the logical channel; and
transmitting the determined new data rate recommendation and/or limit to at least one of the one or more downstream communication devices.
20 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer code for controlling scheduling of communication resources to communication devices at a relay communication device in a wireless network, wherein when executed by a computing unit, the computer code causes the computing unit to:
receive, from an access device of the wireless network or from an upstream relay communication device of the relay communication device, a received data rate recommendation and/or limit providing an identity of a logical channel, wherein the received data rate recommendation and/or limit comprises one of:
an aggregate data rate recommendation and/or limit indicating the logical channel pertaining to at least two communication devices,
an aggregate data rate recommendation and/or limit indicating the logical channel pertaining to at least two logical channels of a communication device, or
a data rate recommendation and/or limit for the logical channel that has been assigned to one or more downstream communication devices by the relay communication device;
determine a new data rate recommendation and/or limit for one or more downstream communication devices at least partly based on the identity of the logical channel; and
transmit the determined new data rate recommendation and/or limit to at least one of the one or more downstream communication devices.