Data transmission control

• US 10,420,095 B2
• Filed: 05/24/2013
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Lindoff, Bengt, Wilhelmsson, Leif, Wallen, Anders
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Ricky Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kirillova, Ellen A
• Application Number:
  US14/404,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20150173073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• Field of Search: 370329
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/26 using historical data, averaging values or statistics
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/373 Predicting channel quality or other radio frequency [RF] parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/242 taking into account path loss
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/245 taking into account received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0473 the resource being transmission power
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method of controlling data transmission of a transceiver is disclosed. The method comprises determining that data is pending for transmission by the transceiver and receiving a signal. A current required transmission effort for transmission of the data is estimated based on the received signal and it is determined if data transmission is to be initiated based on the estimated current required transmission effort, required transmission effort statistics and a time criterion associated with the data. Transmission of the data is initiated if it is determined that so should be done and otherwise the decision of transmitting the data is postponed. Corresponding computer program product, processor, arrangement and wireless communication device are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of controlling data transmission of a transceiver comprising:

determining that data is pending for transmission by the transceiver;

receiving a signal;

estimating a current required transmission effort for transmission of the data based on the received signal;

determining a probability that a transmission effort for transmission of the data will be, at a future point in time within a time window, less than the estimated current required transmission effort, wherein the time window does not extend beyond a point in time at which an age of the data will be a maximum permissible age of the data, and

wherein the probability is calculated based on required transmission effort statistics;

initiating transmission of the data at the current time if the probability is lower than a first threshold; and

postponing a decision of transmitting the data otherwise.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the current required transmission effort for transmission of the data based on the received signal comprises estimating a required transmission power for transmission of the data based on the received signal.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein estimating the required transmission power for transmission of the data based on the received signal comprises:

measuring a received power of the received signal;

estimating a path loss associated with reception of the signal based on the measured received power and a transmission power of the signal;

estimating a path loss associated with transmission of the data based on the estimated path loss associated with reception of the signal; and

estimating the required transmission power for transmission of the data based on the estimated path loss associated with transmission of the data.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein estimating the current required transmission effort for transmission of the data based on the received signal further comprises estimating a required transmission energy based on the estimated required transmission power and a size of the data pending for transmission.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein postponing the decision of transmitting the data comprises, at a subsequent point in time:

receiving a subsequent signal;

estimating a subsequent required transmission effort for transmission of the data based on the received subsequent signal;

determining if data transmission is to be initiated based on a probability of experiencing a required transmission effort which is lower than the estimated subsequent required transmission effort without the age of the data exceeding the maximum permissible age of the data;

initiating transmission of the data if it is determined that data transmission is to be initiated; and

further postponing a decision of transmitting the data otherwise.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating transmission of the data if the probability is lower than the first threshold comprises:

setting an initial transmission power;

transmitting a request signal using the initial transmission power;

receiving a response signal relating to the request signal;

estimating a new current required transmission effort for transmission of the data based on the received response signal;

determining if the data is to be transmitted based on a probability of experiencing a required transmission effort which is lower than the estimated new current required transmission effort without the age of the data exceeding the maximum permissible age of the data;

transmitting the data if it is determined that the data is to be transmitted; and

postponing the decision of transmitting the data otherwise.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein postponing the decision of transmitting the data comprises, at a subsequent point in time, discarding data having a pending time exceeding a second threshold.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, having thereon a computer program comprising program instructions, the computer program being loadable into a data-processing unit associated with a transceiver and adapted to cause execution of a method of controlling data transmission of the transceiver when the computer program is run by the data-processing unit, wherein the method comprises:

determining that data is pending for transmission by the transceiver;

receiving a signal;

estimating a current required transmission effort for transmission of the data based on the received signal;

determining a probability that a transmission effort for transmission of the data will be, at a future point in time within a time window, less than the estimated current required transmission effort, wherein the time window does not extend beyond a point in time at which an age of the data will be a maximum permissible age of the data, and

wherein the probability is calculated based on required transmission effort statistics;

initiating transmission of the data at the current time if the probability is lower than a first threshold; and

postponing a decision of transmitting the data otherwise.

9. A processor adapted to control data transmission of a transceiver, the processor comprising:

a controller adapted to;

cause the transceiver to receive a signal in response to a determination that data is pending for transmission by the transceiver;

determine a probability that a transmission effort for transmission of the data will be, at a future point in time within a time window, less than the estimated current required transmission effort, wherein the time window does not extend beyond a point in time at which an age of the data will be a maximum permissible age of the data, and

wherein the probability is calculated based on required transmission effort statistics;

initiate transmission of the data at the current time if the probability is lower than a first threshold; and

postpone a decision of transmitting the data otherwise; and

an estimator adapted to estimate the current required transmission effort for transmission of the data based on the received signal.

10. The processor of claim 9,

wherein the controller, to initiate transmission of the data if the probability is lower than the first threshold, is adapted to:

set an initial transmission power;

cause the transceiver to transmit a request signal using the initial transmission power;

cause the transceiver to receive a response signal relating to the request signal;

determine if the data is to be transmitted based on a probability of experiencing a required transmission effort which is lower than an estimated new current required transmission effort without the age of the data exceeding the maximum permissible age of the data;

cause the transceiver to transmit the data if it is determined that the data is to be transmitted; and

postpone the decision of transmitting the data otherwise; and

wherein the estimator is adapted to estimate the new current required transmission effort for transmission of the data based on the received response signal.

11. The processor of claim 9, wherein the controller is further adapted to cause discarding data having a pending time exceeding a second threshold.

12. The processor of claim 9, wherein the processor is part of an arrangement that comprises:

the transceiver; and

a data buffer adapted to buffer data pending for transmission by the transceiver.

13. The processor of claim 12, wherein the arrangement further comprises:

a data source adapted to provide data for transmission by the transceiver.

14. The processor of claim 12, wherein the arrangement is part of a wireless communication device.