Method and apparatus for selecting a receive antenna set of a user terminal

Abstract

An electronic device is provided. The electronic device includes a plurality of antennas, a radio frequency (RF) circuit configured to be electrically connected with the plurality of antennas, and a processor. The plurality of antennas includes a first main antenna, a first sub antenna, a second main antenna, and a second sub antenna. The processor controls the RF circuit to operate in a first mode to receive a signal using the first main antenna and the first sub antenna. The processor controls the RF circuit to operate in a second mode different from the first mode to receive the signal based on a signal state.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of Chinese invention patent application No. 201780011573.6, filed on February 17, 2017, entitled "Method and apparatus for selecting a receiving antenna group for a user terminal". Technical Field

[0002] This application relates to and claims the benefit of Korean patent application filed on February 19, 2016, with the Korean Intellectual Property Office and assigned serial number 10-2016-0019601, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] This disclosure relates to techniques for using antennas in various communication environments based on terminals. Background Technology

[0004] With the development of communication technology, user terminals can be equipped with multiple antennas. For example, a user terminal may include a main antenna for transmitting and receiving signals and a diversity antenna for receiving signals only. User terminals can improve reception performance in a specific frequency band by using their radio frequency integrated circuits (RFICs) to synthesize the signals received through the main antenna and the signals received through the diversity antenna. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Technical issues

[0006] If a user terminal is located in an area with a very weak electric field, and a large number of packets are lost due to very weak signal quality or strength, it is difficult to significantly improve reception performance even when the user terminal receives signals using conventional main antennas and conventional diversity antennas. Furthermore, the user terminal may be in several communication environments (e.g., very weak, moderately weak, and strong electric fields) and may be in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state or an RRC idle state relative to the base station. Conventional antenna usage schemes are not effectively adapted to the overall network environment in which the user terminal is located, considering reception performance and power consumption.

[0007] Technical solution

[0008] To address the aforementioned shortcomings, the primary objective is to provide a method and user terminal that allow a user terminal to select an antenna group for signal reception in various communication environments.

[0009] According to one aspect of this disclosure, an electronic device is provided. The electronic device may include a plurality of antennas, radio frequency (RF) circuitry configured to be electrically connected to the plurality of antennas, and a processor. The plurality of antennas may include: a first main antenna configured to transmit or receive signals in a first frequency band, a first sub-antenna configured to receive signals in the first frequency band, a second main antenna, and a second sub-antenna. The processor may be configured to control the RF circuitry to operate in a first mode using the first main antenna and the first sub-antenna to receive signals in the first frequency band. The processor may be configured to: determine a signal state based on parameters indicating signal strength or signal quality; and, based on the determined signal state, control the RF circuitry to operate in a second mode using the first main antenna, the first sub-antenna, the second main antenna, and the second sub-antenna to receive signals in the first frequency band.

[0010] According to another aspect of this disclosure, an antenna operation method for an electronic device having multiple antennas is provided. The method may include: determining a signal state based on parameters indicating signal strength or signal quality; determining an RRC state of the electronic device relative to a base station; and determining, based on the signal state and the RRC state, an antenna to be used for receiving signals from among the multiple antennas.

[0011] Other aspects, advantages, and key features of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of various embodiments disclosed in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0012] Beneficial effects

[0013] According to the embodiments disclosed herein, a user terminal can improve Rx performance or reduce power consumption based on the user terminal's communication environment.

[0014] Furthermore, according to the embodiments, the user terminal can continuously receive signals through at least two optimal antennas with good Rx efficiency.

[0015] Furthermore, according to the embodiments, the user terminal can significantly reduce the probability of call drop during VoLTE calls.

[0016] Furthermore, according to the embodiments, the user terminal can maintain a high data throughput during data download.

[0017] Furthermore, according to the embodiment, the user terminal can stably receive paging signals in the RRC idle state.

[0018] Furthermore, the user terminal can provide various effects that can be determined directly or indirectly through this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0019] To gain a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its advantages, reference is now made to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which similar reference numerals denote similar components:

[0020] Figure 1a The diagram illustrates the changes in the communication environment of a user terminal according to an embodiment and the operations performed by the user terminal in each communication environment;

[0021] Figure 1b A classification of the communication environment of a user terminal according to another embodiment is shown;

[0022] Figure 1c A classification of the communication environment of a user terminal according to another embodiment is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A change in the communication environment of a user terminal according to another embodiment is shown;

[0024] Figure 3 Example hardware components of a user terminal according to an embodiment are shown;

[0025] Figure 4 The diagram illustrates a mapping structure between a receive (Rx) antenna and a radio frequency (RF) circuit based on a transmit (Tx) antenna switch according to an embodiment;

[0026] Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an RF circuit in a medium-to-weak electric field according to an embodiment;

[0027] Figure 6a A subframe structure on the downlink according to an embodiment is conceptually illustrated;

[0028] Figure 6b The variation in the downlink control information (DCI) rate during file download is illustrated according to an embodiment;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an RF circuit in a very weak electric field according to an embodiment;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the RF circuitry in the Radio Resource Control (RRC) idle state according to an embodiment;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an adaptive RF circuit in a medium-weak electric field according to an embodiment;

[0032] Figure 10 The operation of an adaptive RF circuit based on 4Rx diversity (4RxD) operation according to an embodiment is shown;

[0033] Figure 11The monitoring period for determining the optimal Rx antenna according to an embodiment is shown; and

[0034] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of determining the optimal Rx antenna in the RRC idle state according to an embodiment.

[0035] Figure 13 An electronic device in a network environment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0036] Figure 14 This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic device according to various embodiments.

[0037] Figure 15 This is a block diagram illustrating program modules according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0038] It should be noted that throughout the accompanying drawings, similar reference numerals are used to describe the same or similar elements, features, and structures. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The following discussion Figures 1a to 15 The various embodiments used to describe the principles of this disclosure in this patent document are merely illustrative and should not be interpreted in any way as limiting the scope of this disclosure. Those skilled in the art will understand that the principles of this disclosure can be implemented in any suitably arranged electronic device.

[0040] In the following description, this disclosure will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. Various modifications may be made to the various embodiments of this disclosure, which are illustrated in the drawings and accompanied by a detailed description. However, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments and should be understood to include all modifications and / or equivalents and substitutions within the scope and technical range of this disclosure. In the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals denote similar elements.

[0041] In the disclosure herein, the expressions “have,” “may have,” “include,” and “include,” or “may include” and “may include” as used herein indicate the presence of a corresponding feature (e.g., an element such as a number, function, operation, or component), but do not exclude the presence of additional features.

[0042] In the disclosure herein, the expressions “A or B”, “at least one of A and / or B”, or “one or more of A and / or B” as used herein may include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. For example, the terms “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, or “at least one of A or B” may refer to all of the following cases: (1) including at least one A, (2) including at least one B, or (3) including both at least one A and at least one B.

[0043] The terms such as “first,” “second,” “first,” or “second” used in the various embodiments of this disclosure may refer to various elements regardless of the order and / or priority of the respective elements, but do not limit the respective elements. These terms can be used to distinguish one element from another. For example, “first user equipment” and “second user equipment” indicate user equipment that is different from each other, regardless of the order and / or priority of the respective elements. For example, a first component may be referred to as a second component without departing from the scope of this disclosure, and vice versa.

[0044] It will be understood that when an element (e.g., the first element) is referred to as being “(operationally or communicatively) coupled to” or “connected to” another element (e.g., the second element), it may be directly coupled to or connected to that other element, or there may be an intermediate element (e.g., a third element). Conversely, when an element (e.g., the first element) is referred to as being “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” or “directly coupled to” another element (e.g., the second element), it should be understood that there is no indirect element (e.g., a third element) between them.

[0045] Depending on the context, the expression “configured as” as used herein can be used to mean, for example, “suitable for,” “capable of,” “designed for,” “appropriate for,” “manufactured as,” or “capable of.” The term “configured as” does not necessarily imply that it is “specifically designed for” in terms of hardware. Rather, the expression “(being) configured as…” can mean that the device, when operating with another device or other component, is “capable of….” For example, “processor configured to perform A, B, and C” can refer to a general-purpose processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or application processor) that can perform the respective operations by executing one or more software programs, or a dedicated processor (e.g., an embedded processor) that stores information for performing the respective operations.

[0046] The terminology used in this specification is used to describe specific embodiments of this disclosure and is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Unless otherwise specified, singular terms may include plural forms. Unless otherwise stated herein, all terms used herein (including technical or scientific terms) may have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. It should also be understood that terms defined in dictionaries and commonly used should also be interpreted as conventions in the relevant art, rather than idealized or overly formal examinations, unless expressly so defined herein in the various embodiments of this disclosure. In some cases, even if a term is defined in this specification, it may not be construed as excluding embodiments of this disclosure.

[0047] The abbreviations and / or acronyms used herein are defined as follows. Furthermore, various abbreviations and / or acronyms may be defined in this disclosure.

[0048] Tx - Send

[0049] Rx - Receive

[0050] DRX - Discontinuous Receiver

[0051] RF (Radio Frequency)

[0052] LTE - Long Term Evolution

[0053] VoLTE-LTE voice

[0054] MCS - Modulation and Coding Scheme

[0055] SINR - Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio

[0056] CQI - Channel Quality Indicator

[0057] DCI - Downlink Control Information

[0058] PDCCH - Physical Downlink Control Channel

[0059] PDSCH - Physical Downlink Shared Channel

[0060] CA-Carrier Aggregation

[0061] RRC - Radio Resource Control

[0062] RSSI - Received Signal Strength Indicator

[0063] RSRP - Reference Signal Received Power

[0064] ECIO (Ec / Io) - Energy Interference Ratio

[0065] RSRQ - Reference Signal Received Quality

[0066] UE - User Equipment

[0067] In the following description, electronic devices according to various embodiments will be given with reference to the accompanying drawings. In this disclosure, electronic devices may be referred to as user terminals, UEs, etc.

[0068] Figure 1a This is a diagram illustrating the changes in the communication environment of a user terminal according to an embodiment and the operations performed by the user terminal in each communication environment.

[0069] refer to Figure 1aThe user terminal can be in various signal states. For example, the signal state can be divided into three stages based on signal strength or signal quality. For instance, the user terminal's communication environment can correspond to any of the first signal state 10, the second signal state 20, and the third signal state 30. Signal state 10 can correspond to a state where the signal strength or quality is relatively very weak (i.e., a very poor network environment). The second signal state 20 can correspond to a state where the network environment is average or good, falling between the first signal state 10 and the third signal state 30. The third signal state 30 can correspond to a state where the network environment is excellent.

[0070] exist Figure 1a In the example, the first signal state 10 may correspond to a state where the SINR value is less than X dB. For example, the user terminal may determine the SINR value based on the signal received through its antenna. If the determined SINR value is less than X dB, the user terminal may determine that the network environment in which the user terminal is currently located is in the first signal state 10.

[0071] Furthermore, if the SINR value is between X dB and Y dB, the user terminal can determine that the current network environment is in the second signal state 20. Furthermore, if the SINR value is greater than Y dB, the user terminal can determine that its network environment corresponds to the third signal state 30. X dB and Y dB, as SINR values, can be determined in various ways based on the type of user terminal, communication environment, etc. Typically, X dB can be set as a reference value for determining that the signal state is relatively poor but normal, and Y dB can be set as a reference value for determining that the signal state is relatively normal and average or good.

[0072] Figure 1b This is a diagram illustrating the classification of the communication environment of a user terminal according to another embodiment.

[0073] refer to Figure 1b The user terminal can determine the on / off state of the Rx antenna adaptive control operation based on the embodiment relative to the SINR value "x". Furthermore, multiple detailed states (on state 1, on state 2, ..., on state N) can be defined within the on state of the 4RxD operation. Additional thresholds or other operating conditions can be set based on each of the multiple defined states.

[0074] User terminals can determine the current signal state using parameters that indicate signal strength or quality (such as RSRP, Ec / Io, or RSRQ) instead of SINR. For ease of description, various embodiments of SINR will be described below.

[0075] Figure 1a The classification of signal states shown can be like Figure 1c That's how it's normalized. For example, the signal states that a user terminal might have can be classified as on or off states with respect to the SINR value "x". On states can be classified as on state 1 or on state 2 with respect to "ON_TH1". In one embodiment, on state 1 might correspond to a medium-weak electric field, and on state 2 might correspond to a very weak electric field. The user terminal can perform adaptive control of the Rx antenna based on different conditions for each state.

[0076] Refer again Figure 1a The user terminal can generally be in one of three states regarding SINR values. For example, the user terminal can be in a weak electric field (e.g., low SINR region), an intermediate electric field (e.g., intermediate SINR region), or a strong electric field (e.g., high SINR region). Alternatively, the user terminal can be in a very strong electric field (e.g., very low SINR region), a medium-weak electric field (e.g., medium / low SINR region), or a strong electric field (e.g., high SINR region). Typically, the communication environment in which the user terminal is located can be in any one of the first signal state 10, the third signal state 30, and the second signal state 20, wherein in the first signal state 10, the SINR value is lower than a first reference value (e.g., X dB), in the third signal state 30, the SINR value is higher than a second reference value (e.g., Y dB), and in the second signal state 20, the SINR value is between the first and second reference values. (See reference...) Figure 1b and Figure 1c The Rx antenna adaptation operation according to the embodiment can be subdivided into four or more states (e.g., off state, on state 1, on state 2, on state 3, etc.).

[0077] For ease of description, descriptions of very weak electric fields, moderately weak electric fields, and strong electric fields are given in various embodiments of this disclosure. However, each communication environment can be replaced with a first signal state 10 or on state 2, a second signal state 20 or on state 1, or a third signal state 30 or off state based on relative signal quality / strength.

[0078] Depending on the communication status between the user terminal and the base station, the user terminal can be in either an RRC connected state or an RRC idle state. In various embodiments, the user terminal can operate differently based on its RRC state or its communication environment (signal state). For example, the user terminal can use a main antenna for transmitting / receiving signals and a diversity antenna for amplifying the signal received by the main antenna to receive signals. For a user terminal to receive signals using two antennas (e.g., a main antenna and a diversity antenna), this can be defined as 2RxD operation. For a user terminal to receive signals using, for example, a first (main) antenna and a first diversity antenna, and a second (main) antenna and a second diversity antenna, this can be defined as 4RxD operation. For example, the first antenna can transmit and receive signals, and the first diversity antenna, the second antenna, and the second diversity antenna can receive signals. If a sustain antenna switch occurs in the 4RxD on state, the second antenna can transmit and receive signals, and the other three antennas can receive signals. Similarly, for a user terminal to receive signals using three antennas (e.g., a first antenna, a first diversity antenna, and a second diversity antenna), this can be defined as 3RxD operation. In order to receive a signal via 2RxD operation, 4RxD operation, or 3RxD operation, four antennas included in the user terminal can be configured to jointly receive signals in the frequency band corresponding to the signal.

[0079] In one embodiment, if the communication environment corresponds to the second signal state 20 under the RRC connection state, the user terminal can operate the 4RxD operation to improve download performance. For example, the 4RxD function can be activated when performing a download that meets the conditions.

[0080] In one embodiment, if the communication environment corresponds to the first signal state 10 under the RRC connection state, the user terminal can run 4RxD operation for VoLTE service, third-generation (3G) voice call service, or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service, rather than for improving download performance. In this disclosure, the embodiment is exemplified as VoLTE. However, according to embodiments, the user terminal can perform Rx antenna adaptation operation for various call types, which can enhance the stability of voice calls when performing 4RxD operation. Furthermore, the user terminal can prioritize the voice call state as a condition (e.g., trigger point) for performing Rx antenna adaptation operation compared to the data Rx state. For example, considering the data Rx state, if a voice call service is being performed, the user terminal can activate the 4RxD function even if it is in a fully communicative environment such as 3RxD. Since the first signal state 10 corresponds, for example, to a very weak electric field, other conditions associated with uplink limitations and uplink errors (e.g., Tx power) can be applied under the second signal state 20.

[0081] For example, if the uplink error is greater than or equal to a certain value, the user terminal can disable 4RxD operation even if other conditions (e.g., signal state, DCI state, etc.) are met, despite the user terminal having its maximum Tx power. The user terminal should send an acknowledgment (ACK) / negation ACK (NACK) message to the base station for the data received from the base station. If the uplink error rate is high, it may be unable to correctly send ACK / NACK messages to the base station. If the base station does not receive ACK / NACK messages, it may repeat unnecessary download operations, even though 4RxD operation improves Rx performance. Therefore, according to an embodiment, the user terminal can activate 4RxD operation only when the environment determines that ACK / NACK messages can be correctly sent to the base station, for example, only when the uplink error is less than a certain value.

[0082] In one embodiment, if the communication environment corresponds to the first signal state 10 in the RRC idle state, the user terminal can activate the 4RxD function or the optimal 2RxD selection function for paging reception.

[0083] If the user terminal is in an on / off state or on the verge of a state change, the 4RxD function can be repeatedly activated / deactivated based on real-time changes in signal state and condition parameters. In this regard, reference will be made to... Figure 2 A description is given of an embodiment that includes hysteresis in state change conditions.

[0084] Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the changes in the communication environment of a user terminal according to another embodiment is shown.

[0085] refer to Figure 2 For example, if the SINR value measured by the user terminal in the first signal state 10 is greater than X1, the user terminal can determine its communication environment as the second signal state 20. In this state, if the measured SINR value is greater than Y1, the user terminal can determine its communication environment as the third signal state 30. If the SINR value decreases to X2 or less, the user terminal can determine its communication environment as the first signal state 10. In this case, the value of X2 can be less than X1.

[0086] If the measured SINR value decreases to Y2 or less, the user terminal in the third signal state 30 can determine that it is in the second signal state 20. In this way, the user terminal can determine its communication environment in different ways based on its situation under the same SINR conditions, thereby reducing unnecessary antenna control. If the user terminal disables the 4RxD function because the measured SINR value is greater than Y1, the user terminal can maintain the 4RxD function disabled even if the remeasured SINR value decreases to a value less than Y1 and greater than Y2.

[0087] In this way, when the signal state changes, the SINR value, which serves as the standard for state change, can be set differently based on the current communication environment of the user terminal. This can prevent the function from being repeatedly turned on / off in a short period of time and can also prevent unintended side effects caused by the function.

[0088] According to one embodiment, if a specific condition is repeatedly met or maintained over a period of time, the user terminal can perform a transition to a subsequent stage or operation. For example, if the user terminal is in the third signal state 30 because the SINR value is greater than Y1, then if the SINR value decreases to Y2 or less and this condition is repeated a specified number of times or more, or if the SINR value remains at Y2 or less for a period of time after decreasing to Y2, the user terminal can change to the second signal state 20.

[0089] In the following text, reference will be made to Figure 3 and Figure 4 A description of an example configuration of a user terminal to which embodiments of the present invention can be applied is provided.

[0090] Figure 3 A diagram of example hardware components of a user terminal according to an embodiment is shown.

[0091] refer to Figure 3 The user terminal 300 may include a communication processor (CP) 310. The CP 310 may be integrated with at least one processor, such as another processing module (e.g., an application processor (AP)). For example, the processor 310 may be implemented in a system-on-a-chip (SoC). The CP 310 may be simply referred to as the processor 310 of this disclosure.

[0092] The processor 310 can be electrically connected to a radio frequency (RF) circuit (e.g., an RF integrated circuit (RFIC)) and can control the operation of the RF circuit. The RF circuit can correspond to a transceiver and can be understood as a concept that includes various hardware components such as amplifiers (e.g., power amplifiers (PA) or low noise amplifiers (LNA)), filters, or switches, rather than a transceiver for processing signals received through an antenna (antenna radiator).

[0093] exist Figure 3 In one example, the RF circuitry may include a main RF circuitry 320 and a diversity RF circuitry 321. However, in another embodiment, the user terminal 300 may include three or more RF circuits or an integrated RF circuitry.

[0094] The main RF circuit 320 can be connected to two main antennas located at the lower end of the user terminal 300. For example, the main RF circuit 320 can be electrically connected to a first antenna 301 and a second antenna 302. According to one embodiment, each of the first antenna 301 and the second antenna 302 can have an electrical length for receiving at least one frequency band. For example, the first antenna 301 can receive signals in a first frequency band, and the second antenna 302 can receive signals at a first frequency and signals at a second frequency. The first antenna 301 and the second antenna 302 can both receive signals in the first frequency band, and the third antenna 303 and the fourth antenna 304, which serve as diversity Rx antennas, can also both receive signals in the first frequency band. If the fourth antenna 304 is a sub-antenna of the second antenna 302, it can receive signals in the second frequency band.

[0095] User terminal 300 may have, in addition to Figure 3 Various antenna structures beyond the examples shown are permitted. User terminal 300 is sufficient to have multiple antennas for implementing the various embodiments disclosed herein, and is not limited to a device having two antennas at its upper and lower ends. For example, a Tx / Rx main antenna and multiple Rx antennas may be located appropriately, taking into account other electronic components and the design of user terminal 300. Furthermore, antenna structures that can be modified in various ways by those skilled in the art are conceivable.

[0096] exist Figure 3 In the example, each of the first antenna 301 and the second antenna 302 may include part of a metal frame forming the housing of the user terminal 300. Each of the first antenna 301 and the second antenna 302 may extend into the interior of the user terminal 300. For example, the first antenna 301 and the second antenna 302 may be located at the lower end of the user terminal 300, and the third antenna 301 and the fourth antenna 304 may be located at the upper end of the user terminal 300.

[0097] The main RF circuit 320 can be connected to the first antenna 301 and the second antenna 302 via a switching circuit 323 or a switch. The main RF circuit 320 can control the switching circuit 323 to change the main antenna. For example, if a signal is transmitted using the first antenna 301 as the main antenna (or primary antenna) (in which case the third antenna 303 may correspond to a sub-antenna or diversity antenna), and the signal Tx and Rx performance is degraded when using the first antenna 301, the user terminal 300 can switch the main antenna from the first antenna 301 to the second antenna 302. In this case, the sub-antenna corresponding to the first antenna 301 (e.g., the third antenna 303) can be changed to a sub-antenna corresponding to the second antenna 302 (e.g., the fourth antenna 404). (Refer to...) Figure 4 Provide a description of the mapping relationship between the antenna and the Tx / Rx port when the antenna is switched.

[0098] Meanwhile, as mentioned above, it can be understood that the main RF circuit 320 includes the concept of a switching circuit 323.

[0099] Diversity RF circuit 321 can be connected to a sub-antenna used to receive diversity signals from the main antenna and can process diversity signals received from the sub-antenna. For example, diversity RF circuit 321 can be electrically connected to a third antenna 303 and a fourth antenna 404. If the first antenna 301 receives signals from the first frequency band and if the third antenna 303 is a sub-antenna of the first antenna 301, then the third antenna 303 can also receive (diversity) signals from the first frequency band. Since in embodiments of the invention, all four antennas can receive signals from the same frequency band, if the first antenna 301 is the main antenna receiving signals from the first frequency band, then the second antenna 302, the third antenna 303, and the fourth antenna 304 can receive diversity signals from the first frequency band (in the case of 4RxD operation).

[0100] User terminal 300 may include a first printed circuit board (PCB) 350 and a second PCB 360. Various circuits and components for processing signals received from the antenna may be located in either the first PCB 350 or the second PCB 360. Furthermore, the first PCB 350 and the second PCB 360 may be electrically connected to each other. To power the components located on the PCBs and to power the antenna radiator, user terminal 300 may include a battery 370.

[0101] Figure 4 This is a diagram illustrating the mapping structure between the Rx antenna and the RF circuitry based on Tx antenna switching according to an embodiment. Figure 4 In the example, a description will be given of an example in which the primary antenna is switched to the secondary antenna 302 when the first antenna 301 is used as the primary antenna for transmitting and receiving signals and the secondary antennas 302 to the fourth antenna 304 receive diversity signals.

[0102] refer to Figure 4 The processor 310 can be connected to the Tx port 1401 and Rx port 1402 of the main RF circuit 320. The Tx port 1401 can be connected to the power amplifier (PA) 410, and the PA can be connected to the filter 420. The processor 310 can amplify the Tx power of the signal through the PA 410, filter the signal in the desired frequency band through the filter 420, and transmit the filtered signal to the base station through the first antenna 301.

[0103] Furthermore, the signal in the desired frequency band received by the first antenna 301 can be filtered by the filter 420 and then sent to the processor 310 through the Rx port 1402.

[0104] Since the second antenna 302 is not the main antenna, the main RF circuit 320 may not be able to transmit signals through the Tx port 2403. Instead, the signal received through the second antenna 302 can pass through the filter 421 and then be transmitted to the processor 310 through the Rx port 2404.

[0105] Furthermore, although not shown, signals in the same frequency band can be received via the third antenna 303 and the fourth antenna 304.

[0106] In this state, if the first antenna 301 experiences a Tx or Rx performance degradation for any reason and if the main antenna is switched from the first antenna 301 to the second antenna 302, then the Tx port 1401 and the Rx port 1402 can be mapped to the second antenna 302.

[0107] if Figure 3 If the user terminal 300 uses the 4RxD function, an imbalance in Tx and Rx performance may occur because it only uses the fourth antenna to improve signal Rx performance. Therefore, although the 4RxD function is activated, the user terminal 300 can send a measurement report to the base station before activating the 4RxD function.

[0108] The following description provides examples applicable to various communication environments. Further descriptions of examples of supplementary functionality or performance characteristics of the described embodiments (such as Tx / Rx performance imbalance) will also be provided.

[0109] 1. RRC connection status

[0110] 1.1. Operation of User Terminals in Medium and Weak Electric Fields

[0111] As referenced above Figures 1a to 1cAs described above, the user terminal 300 can use four antennas to receive signals in a specific frequency band to improve downlink data throughput performance, i.e., download performance. The user terminal 300 may not be able to operate the 4RxD function in strong electric fields and can receive signals using a conventional approach. In this document, a conventional approach can refer to a scheme that uses a main antenna (Tx and Rx) and a sub-antenna (diversity Rx) to receive signals. For ease of classification, a conventional approach or a scheme using two antennas to receive signals can be defined as a first mode, and a scheme using four antennas to receive signals according to the embodiment can be defined as a second mode.

[0112] As a factor in improving downlink data throughput performance, the packet Rx loss rate can be reduced at the user terminal 300 and / or a high MCS / coding rate can be used at the base station. Increasing data throughput performance by reducing the packet Rx loss rate can mean a low packet error rate (PER) when the base station transmits packets to the user terminal 300 at a certain data rate. Furthermore, improving data throughput performance by using a high MCS at the base station can be associated with the CQI reporting operation of the user terminal 300. For example, the user terminal 300 can report the channel state to the base station, and the base station can use the information about the CQI included in the channel state report to determine the appropriate MCS / coding rate for the data to be transmitted to the user terminal 300. In this document, the CQI value typically indicates the MCS / coding rate information that the user terminal 300 can receive on the current channel, taking into account factors such as the SINR value indicating the Rx signal quality of the user terminal 300, receiver performance, etc.

[0113] Therefore, in a strong electric field with a high SINR value, even though the signal is received in the first mode (i.e., the conventional approach), the MCS and / or CQI values ​​can be at their maximum. In other words, although the second mode (i.e., the 4RxD function) is activated, it may not have a meaningful effect compared to the data throughput from the current consumption of the first mode. In other words, the RF circuitry can be restricted to operate in the second mode to reduce power consumption in strong electric fields.

[0114] However, as described above, those skilled in the art can appropriately set criteria for classifying the first signal state 10, the second signal state 20, and the third signal state 30. There are cases where the 4RxD function is effective in the third signal state 30 (e.g., a strong electric field). Therefore, in the embodiments disclosed herein, the processor 310 can operate the RF circuitry in a first mode (e.g., a 2RxD function) or a second mode (e.g., a 4RxD function) based on the current signal state of the user terminal 300. Hereinafter, 4RxD operation in a strong electric field is excluded, and a description of 4RxD operation in medium and weak electric fields will be given.

[0115] Figure 5This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an RF circuit in a medium-to-weak electric field according to an embodiment. (In conjunction with...) Figure 5 In the associated description, it is assumed Figure 3 The user terminal 300 is in an RRC connection state in a medium-to-weak electric field.

[0116] In operation 501, user terminal 300 can operate with its 4RxD function disabled. For example, user terminal 300 can use... Figure 3 The first antenna 301 serves as the main antenna for transmitting and receiving signals, and can be used... Figure 3 The third antenna 303 is used as a sub-antenna to receive signals in the same frequency band.

[0117] In Operation 503, User Terminal 300 can verify the DCI rate. In this document, the DCI rate can be defined as the rate at which user terminal 300 verifies the presence of data to be received when verifying the DCI of the PDCCH over a period of time (e.g., 100 ms). For example, the DCI rate can be defined as the number of download (DL) licenses downloaded in 100 ms. If the DCI rate is greater than or equal to a certain value, user terminal 300 can verify that it can continue receiving data from the base station. Therefore, if user terminal 300 reports a higher CQI value to the base station, and if the base station uses a higher MCS based on the CQI value, download throughput can be increased. In this regard, reference will be made to… Figure 6a and Figure 6b Provide a description.

[0118] Figure 6a This is a conceptual diagram illustrating the subframe structure on the downlink according to an embodiment. (Reference) Figure 6a This allows for data transmission and reception in any communication environment (e.g., LTE) on a subframe basis. A subframe can correspond to 1 ms in an LTE network and can include PDCCH 601 and PDSCH 602. PDCCH 601 can include control information, and PDSCH 602 can include data information. User terminal 300 can verify the presence of data to be received on PDSCH 602 by decoding the control information of PDCCH 601 for each subframe. User terminal 300 can analyze the control information received within a unit time period and determine the rate at which data to be received exists. (Refer to...) Figure 6b Provide a description of an example graph associated with the rate.

[0119] Figure 6b This is a graph illustrating the change in DCI rate during file download according to an embodiment. Figure 6bThe graph 600 shown is used to determine the rate at which data is received at 100ms intervals when downloading files on user terminal 300.

[0120] refer to Figure 6b If downloading begins (at approximately 8820 points), the DCI rate can be observed to increase to close to 100. Although there are intervals where the DCI rate decreases by approximately 80 at midpoints, a high DCI rate can be maintained throughout the entire file download interval. If the file download ends (at approximately 9160 points), the DCI rate can rapidly decrease to converge to "0".

[0121] Refer again Figure 5 In operation 505, user terminal 300 can determine whether the determined DCI rate is greater than a first threshold TH1. For example, if the first threshold 70 is determined and the DCI rate is 75, then 75% of the most recently analyzed DCIs within a unit time (e.g., 100ms) could mean that there is data that user terminal 300 will receive on the PDSCH.

[0122] If the DCI rate is greater than the first threshold TH1, then in operation 507, the user terminal 300 can enable the 4RxD function to improve download performance. In other words, the user terminal 300 can operate in the first mode as a conventional solution, and if the DCI rate increases by a certain rate or more, it can operate in the second mode. If the DCI rate remains below the first threshold TH1, the user terminal 300 can continue to execute operation 503.

[0123] In one embodiment, as described above, if the number of times exceeding the first threshold TH1 is repeated within a period of n or greater, or if the number of times exceeding the first threshold TH1 is maintained for a period of time, the user terminal 300 may perform operation 507. If the DCI rate exceeds the first threshold TH1 n times consecutively, then the number of times exceeding the first threshold TH1 is greater than n times within a period of time, or if the state of the DCI rate exceeding the first threshold TH1 is maintained for a specified time, the user terminal 300 may enable the 4RxD function.

[0124] After activating the 4RxD function, in operation 509, the user terminal 300 can continue to determine the DCI rate. Operation 509 is essentially the same as operation 503.

[0125] In operation 511, user terminal 300 can determine whether the DCI rate has decreased to below a second threshold TH2. If the DCI rate decreases to below the second threshold TH2, then in operation 513, user terminal 300 can disable the 4RxD function. For example, if the second threshold is 20 and if the measured DCI rate is 15, user terminal 300 can determine that the file download has actually ended or will end soon and can disable the 4RxD operation.

[0126] In this case, user terminal 300 can receive signals using the two antennas activated in operation 501 (e.g., default 2RxD function), or it can receive signals using the two modified antennas (e.g., optimal 2RxD function). (See reference...) Figure 9 An example of selecting an Rx antenna after an RxD operation is given.

[0127] exist Figure 5 In one embodiment, the first threshold TH1 for activating the 4RxD function and the second threshold TH2 for deactivating the 4RxD function (and activating the 2RxD function) are set to different values. In other words, the second threshold can correspond to a DCI rate lower than the first threshold. However, in another embodiment, the first and second thresholds can be set to the same value. For example, if the DCI rate is greater than 50, the user terminal 300 can use all four antennas to receive signals. If the DCI rate drops to less than 50, the user terminal 300 can receive signals using only two antennas. In this case, Figure 3 The processor 310 may have a delay to prevent frequent changes in the Rx mode of the antenna. For example, if the DCI rate is greater than 50, the processor 310 may control the RF circuits 320 and 321 to operate in a second mode (e.g., 4RxD operation), and even if the DCI rate drops to less than 50 for 2 seconds (2000 milliseconds), the processor 310 may also maintain the current operating mode (i.e., the second mode) of the RF circuits 320 and 321, and may control the RF circuits 320 and 321 to operate in a first mode (e.g., 2RxD operation) after 2 seconds.

[0128] 1.2. Operation of user terminals in very weak electric fields

[0129] If the user terminal 300 is in a very weak electric field, it can operate in several different ways compared to when it is in a medium-weak electric field. Specifically, the RF circuitry can operate in 4RxD or 2RxD mode depending on whether the user terminal 300 is performing a VoLTE call or a simple data download. Furthermore, even when performing a data download, the DCI rate can have a different threshold than the threshold set in a medium-weak electric field. In this regard, reference will be made to… Figure 7 Provide a description.

[0130] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an RF circuit in a very weak electric field according to an embodiment.

[0131] In operation 701, Figure 3 The user terminal 300 can operate with the 4RxD function disabled. For example, the user terminal 300 can be operated by using... Figure 3 The first antenna 301 serves as the main antenna for transmitting and receiving signals, and can be used... Figure 3 The third antenna 303 is used as a sub-antenna to receive signals in the same frequency band.

[0132] In operation 703, user terminal 300 can determine whether the VoLTE function is being executed. For example, Figure 3 The processor 310 can determine whether the VoLTE function is currently being executed based on whether the internal codec is operating or whether a VoLTE application is being executed.

[0133] If VoLTE is being implemented, user terminal 300 can activate the 4RxD function in operation 705. In the case of VoLTE, since the DCI rate is not frequently high (e.g., if the called parties are not speaking to each other or are in a silent state), processor 310 can operate the RF circuitry in a second mode regardless of the DCI rate. Thus, by improving the Rx performance of VoLTE packets by operating the 4RxD function in a very weak electric field, call drops due to Rx performance issues can be avoided.

[0134] In operation 707, user terminal 300 can determine whether the VoLTE call has been terminated. If the VoLTE call is terminated, then in operation 709, user terminal 300 can disable the 4RxD function. However, in one embodiment, since packet Rx rates, in addition to data download performance, can themselves become problematic in very weak electric fields, user terminal 300 may not be able to disable the 4RxD function once VoLTE terminates, and may continue with operation 711 to determine the DCI rate.

[0135] Because operations 711, 713, 715, 717 and 721 are respectively related to the reference Figure 5 The operations described correspond to 503, 505, 507, 509, 511 and 513, so repeated descriptions will be omitted below.

[0136] In operation 711, user terminal 300 can determine the DCI rate.

[0137] In operation 713, user terminal 300 can determine whether the determined DCI rate is greater than a third threshold TH3. For example, the third threshold TH3 can be set below a second threshold, which is the standard for disabling the 4RxD function in a weak electric field (e.g., if the DCI rate is "10"). User terminal 300 can increase data download throughput and reduce packet Rx error rate (e.g., PER) by setting the DCI rate even lower in a very weak electric field. In other words, user terminal 300 can activate the 4RxD function to increase download throughput and enhance the packet Rx rate in a very weak electric field.

[0138] If the DCI rate is greater than the third threshold TH3, then in operation 715, the processor 310 of the user terminal 300 can control the RF circuit to operate in the second mode. In operation 717, the user terminal 300 can continue to determine the DCI rate. In operation 719, the user terminal 300 can determine whether the DCI rate is "0". If the DCI rate is "0", then the user terminal 300 can change from the second mode to the first mode and can receive signals. In this example, it is assumed that the DCI is "0", that is, no data is actually downloaded. However, if it is determined that no data is actually downloaded, for example, if the DCI rate has any value between "0" and "2", then the user terminal 300 can change from the second mode to the first mode and can receive signals. In other words, if the DCI rate decreases to less than the fourth threshold TH4, then the user terminal 300 can change the operating mode of the RF circuit to the first mode.

[0139] It can be set automatically by the user terminal (300) or manually by the user. (Refer to the settings) Figure 5 The threshold for the DCI rate, as described in the accompanying figures or other diagrams. The DCI rate can have specific patterns based on user behavior. For example, in the case of general file downloads, the DCI value can have, for instance, a threshold for the DCI rate. Figure 6b The values ​​shown represent the pattern. However, in the case of live streaming, a lower DCI rate value can be maintained than for file downloads. Furthermore, if certain applications such as YouTube are being run, a pattern similar to a file download can be displayed at the midpoint of the video stream.

[0140] Therefore, user terminal 300 can optimize the DCI rate threshold conditions to suit the user. In other words, user terminal 300 can lower the DCI rate threshold during SINR intervals (i.e., specific on states) where packet Rx problems may occur, and can operate the 4RxD function for users who frequently watch live streams. For users who do not frequently watch live streams, user terminal 300 can set the DCI rate threshold higher to prevent additional current consumption.

[0141] 2. RRC Idle State

[0142] Figure 5 The process shown illustrates an embodiment of the operation of user terminal 300 in a medium-to-weak electric field when user terminal 300 is in an RRC connection state. Figure 7 The process shown illustrates an embodiment of the operation of user terminal 300 in a very weak electric field when user terminal 300 is in an RRC connected state.

[0143] Typically, if user terminal 300 is in RRC idle state, it can periodically receive paging packets. When a paging packet is received, user terminal 300 can perform an attach operation to the base station and can receive data from the base station after changing to an RRC connection state. If user terminal 300 does not receive a paging packet, problems such as message transmission delays occur in real-time chat because it does not receive data from the called party's terminal. Therefore, if there is a possibility of problems with receiving paging packets, user terminal 400 can resolve this issue through 4RxD operation. (See reference...) Figure 8 To describe the example process.

[0144] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the RF circuit in the RRC idle state according to an embodiment.

[0145] In operation 801, Figure 3 The user terminal 300 can operate in RRC idle state. For example, the user terminal 300 can perform DRX operation to maintain a connection with the base station in RRC idle state. The user terminal 300 in RRC idle state can receive paging packets from the base station at regular intervals.

[0146] In operation 803, user terminal 300 can determine whether the current signal state corresponds to a very weak electric field based on the measured SINR value, etc.

[0147] In a signal state corresponding to a very weak electric field, in operation 805, user terminal 300 can receive paging signals in a second mode (i.e., using four antennas). In other words, if the signal state corresponds to a very weak electric field, user terminal 300 can activate the 4RxD function according to the DRX cycle. If the signal state does not correspond to a very weak electric field, for example, if user terminal 300 is in a medium-weak or strong electric field, then in operation 807, since the probability of packet loss is very small, user terminal 300 can receive paging signals in a conventional scheme (e.g., 2RxD).

[0148] 3. Examples of using 4RxD functionality

[0149] In a frequency band where the user terminal 300 can use the 4RxD function, all four antennas of the user terminal 300 can jointly receive signals in that frequency band. In other words, when the user terminal 300 uses two antennas to receive signals, it can use the two optimal antennas with the best signal Rx state (e.g., optimal 2RxD function) to receive signals, instead of using the default main antenna and sub-antenna (e.g., ...). Figure 3 The first antenna 301 and the third antenna 303 (which serves as the Rx antenna) are used to receive signals. (Refer to...) Figure 9 This describes an embodiment associated with two optimal antennas. In the following description, descriptions of content that is repeated, corresponds to, or is similar to the above may be omitted.

[0150] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of an adaptive RF circuit in a weak electric field according to an embodiment.

[0151] refer to Figure 9 In operation 901, Figure 1a The user terminal 300 can receive signals using the two antennas set to default. For example, the user terminal 300 can use... Figure 3 The first antenna 301 and the second antenna 303 receive signals. In operation 903, the user terminal 300 can determine the DCI rate.

[0152] In operation 905, user terminal 300 can determine whether the DCI rate is greater than the first threshold TH1.

[0153] If the DCI rate is greater than the first threshold TH1, then in operation 907, the user terminal 300 can activate the 4RxD function. In this case, since the user terminal 300 receives signals from all four antennas, it can determine the signal Rx sensitivity of each antenna. In operation 913, the information on the signal Rx sensitivity of each antenna can be used to select two optimal antennas.

[0154] In operation 909, user terminal 300 can determine the DCI rate.

[0155] In operation 911, user terminal 300 can determine whether the DCI rate is less than the second threshold TH2.

[0156] If the DCI rate is less than the second threshold TH2, then in operation 913, the user terminal 300 can use two antennas to receive signals. These two antennas can be different from the antennas used before the 4RxD operation. For example, if it is determined during the 4RxD operation... Figure 3 The second antenna 302 and the third antenna 303 have high Rx sensitivity, then Figure 3The processor 310 can control the RF circuit to receive signals using the second antenna 302 and the third antenna 303. In the above embodiments, a description of receiving signals using two or four Rx antennas is given. However, according to one embodiment, three Rx antennas can be used to receive signals. In other words, the RF circuit can operate in a third mode using 3RxD functionality to receive signals, instead of a first mode using 2RxD functionality and a second mode using 4RxD functionality. (See reference...) Figure 10 An embodiment associated with this situation is described.

[0157] Figure 10 This is a diagram illustrating the operation of an adaptive RF circuit based on 4RxD operation according to an embodiment.

[0158] refer to Figure 10 , Figure 3 The user terminal 300 can operate in a first mode in a very weak electric field. In this document, the first mode can correspond to the state in which the user terminal 300 receives signals using two Rx antennas (e.g., a main Tx / Rx antenna and a diversity Rx antenna). These two Rx antennas can be the two antennas set to default (e.g., default 2RxD function), or the two antennas with optimal signal sensitivity selected during 4RxD operation (e.g., optimal 2RxD function).

[0159] In a very weak electric field, if the first condition is met, the user terminal 300 can operate in a second mode that operates all four Rx antennas. The first condition can be defined below.

[0160] A. The average SINR of the two Rx antennas in use is less than the first threshold; and

[0161] B. DCI rate > third threshold.

[0162] In Figure 10 In the associated description, the SINR value of the optimal antenna among the antennas that can be used by the user terminal 300, rather than the average SINR value, can be used as a criterion for determining the signal state. For example, if a signal Rx using two antennas (e.g., 2RxD function) is changed to a signal Rx using four antennas (e.g., 4RxD function), the user terminal 300 can determine whether to perform a conversion relative to the optimal antenna value between the two antennas. Conversely (if the 4RxD function is changed to the 2RxD function), the user terminal 300 can determine whether to perform a conversion relative to the optimal antenna among the four antennas. This can be applied to other than those... Figure 10 Various embodiments disclosed in this disclosure, in addition to the associated descriptions.

[0163] Condition A in the first condition could mean a low SINR value, i.e., a poor signal condition, and condition B in the first condition could mean that the DCI rate is above a certain level, i.e., there is data to be received. In other words, if the signal condition is poor and if there is data to be received, then the user terminal 300 can use four antennas to receive the signal.

[0164] In this state, if the second condition is met, user terminal 300 can return to the first mode. The second condition can be defined below.

[0165] A. The average SINR of the two optimal Rx antennas > the first threshold + a; and

[0166] B. DCI rate < fourth threshold.

[0167] Requesting a SINR value that is a constant “a” higher than the first threshold under condition A of the second condition can be understood as preventing the first and second modes from repeatedly changing within a short period of time. In other words, if the signal strength improves and the data to be downloaded decreases to a certain level or less, the user terminal 300 can receive the signal again using both antennas. In this case, the user terminal 300 can use the two optimal Rx antennas determined when operating in the second mode to receive the signal.

[0168] When user terminal 300 is operating in the second mode, if the third condition is met, user terminal 300 can use three antennas to receive signals. The third condition can be defined below.

[0169] A. The average SINR of the three antennas to be used is greater than the second threshold + b;

[0170] B. The average SINR of the three best antennas minus the SINR of the worst antenna > the third threshold; and

[0171] C. DCI rate < fourth threshold

[0172] In this scenario, with some data to be downloaded, if the average signal quality of the three antennas is greater than or equal to a certain level, and if the average signal quality of the three best antennas is greater than or equal to the signal quality of the worst antenna, then the user terminal 300 can use all three antennas to receive data. If the average signal quality of the three antennas is at an appropriate level when data to be downloaded is present, and if the signal quality of another antenna is very poor, using all four antennas to receive data may increase power consumption or may not significantly impact data throughput. Therefore, the user terminal 300 can save power while maintaining data throughput by excluding the antenna with poor signal quality and using all three antennas to receive signals. If the Rx signal quality using all three antennas drops to a certain level or more when data to be downloaded is present, the user terminal 300 can reactivate all four antennas and return to the second mode. A fourth condition for returning from the third mode to the second mode can be defined below.

[0173] A. The average SINR of the three antennas in use is greater than the second threshold; and

[0174] B. DCI rate < fourth threshold

[0175] If the fifth condition is met, the user terminal 300 operating in the third mode can operate in the first mode. For example, the fifth condition can be defined below.

[0176] A. The average SINR of the two optimal antennas > the first threshold + a; and

[0177] B. DCI rate < fourth threshold

[0178] In other words, if sufficient signal quality is obtained through only two antennas and the amount of data to be downloaded is small, the user terminal 300 can receive data through only two (optimal) antennas to save power consumption.

[0179] In one embodiment, user terminal 300 operating in a second mode can operate in either a first or third mode based on signal quality and DCI rate. If both a second and third condition are met, user terminal 300 can prioritize the second condition. For example, user terminal 200 can reduce current consumption by first applying the second condition and operating in the first mode. Similarly, user terminal 200 in a third mode can operate in either the first or second mode based on met conditions. In this case, user terminal 200 can prioritize a fifth condition relative to power consumption.

[0180] Thresholds and constants "a" and "b" indicating signal quality or DCI rate under each condition can be appropriately defined through manufacturer / communication company strategies or product testing. These defined values ​​can be pre-recorded as invariant values ​​in the memory of the user terminal 300. In this document, the memory can be located in... Figure 3 The corresponding storage space is in the processor 310.

[0181] Furthermore, embodiments are exemplified as follows: the 2RxD and 4RxD functions can operate in medium to weak electric fields, and the 2RxD, 3RxD, and 4RxD functions can operate in very weak electric fields. However, embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto. Various modified embodiments are possible. For example, user terminal 300 can receive signals using some (e.g., N-1 antennas, N-2 antennas, etc.) or all of the multiple antennas (e.g., N antennas) included in user terminal 300, based on settings defined in the on state.

[0182] According to one embodiment, for example, if the DCI rate is greater than or equal to 70, the 4RxD function in a medium-to-weak electric field can operate. If the state of the DCI rate being less than 70 persists, the user terminal 300 can continue to receive signals through the two finally selected antennas (e.g., the two optimal Rx antennas). If the 4RxD function is not activated immediately after the DCI rate becomes greater than 70, the user terminal 300 can continue to receive signals through the two default Rx antennas.

[0183] In one embodiment, periodic 4Rx antenna monitoring can be performed to quickly find the optimal Rx antenna combination in response to changes in the signal Rx environment of the user terminal 300 (due to user conditions such as hand-held operation). (See reference...) Figure 11 A description is given in conjunction with the periodic 4Rx antenna monitoring operation.

[0184] Figure 11 This is a diagram illustrating the monitoring period for determining the optimal Rx antenna according to an embodiment.

[0185] refer to Figure 11 , Figure 3 The user terminal 300 can periodically perform the following operations: operate the four Rx antennas at 2-second intervals, every 50 milliseconds, and search for the two optimal Rx antennas. For example, the user terminal 300 can operate to determine the performance of the four Rx antennas within 50 milliseconds and select the combination of the two optimal antennas. Figure 11 The 2-second cycle and 50-millisecond operation time shown are merely examples, and those skilled in the art can make appropriate changes.

[0186] When the user terminal 300 is in a medium-weak or very weak electric field, it can perform reference... Figure 11 The monitoring operation described. For example, if the signal state determined based on parameters indicating signal quality or signal strength corresponds to a strong electric field, the user terminal 300 may not be able to perform the monitoring operation. This is understood to be to save current consumption, as the Rx signal quality is already good in a strong electric field. Typically, if needed, according to one embodiment, the user terminal 300 can perform the monitoring operation in an on state (e.g., medium to weak electric fields and very weak electric fields).

[0187] Furthermore, if no data is received from the base station for a period of time or longer (i.e., if the DCI rate is "0"), the user terminal 300 may be unable to perform monitoring operations. In this case, if necessary, the user terminal 300 may retain the two selected optimal Rx antennas (e.g., optimal 2RxD function) and may select a specific 2RxD antenna combination (e.g., default 2RxD function).

[0188] If user terminal 300 supports carrier aggregation (CA), then user terminal 300 can activate the 4RxD function in the CA state. User terminal 300 can use CA for two or more cells (e.g., a primary cell and a secondary cell) to operate the 4RxD function during CA. In this case, if one or more of the two cells correspond to a frequency band used to support the 4RxD function, then user terminal 300 can operate the 4RxD function. If both cells support the 4RxD function, then in this embodiment, user terminal 300 can select the primary cell and activate the 4RxD function. If the RSRP value of the secondary cell is lower than the RSRP value of the primary cell by a specified value (e.g., 10 dB), then user terminal 300 can select the secondary cell and activate the 4RxD function. Typically, if multiple frequency bands exist among several frequency bands where CA can be used and 4RxD operation can be performed, then 4RxD operation can be activated for all multiple frequency bands, or 4RxD operation can be activated selectively. In this case, priority is assigned to the frequency band corresponding to the frequency band supported by the primary cell.

[0189] Furthermore, priorities can be determined based on the available resource status of the user terminal 300. For example, the 4RxD function can be activated for frequency bands with relatively abundant available hardware resources. Conversely, the 4RxD function may not be activated for frequency bands with relatively insufficient available hardware resources. This resource status can be closely related to the communication environment of the user terminal 300. Moreover, the 4RxD activation frequency band can be adaptively changed based on the overall communication environment of the user terminal 300.

[0190] In CA state, conditions associated with the aforementioned communication environments can be applied to user terminal 300. For example, if CA is implemented in RRC connection state and in a very weak or moderately weak electric field, an appropriate cell can be selected and 4RxD operation can be implemented.

[0191] In one embodiment, the 4RxD function can be used to find the two optimal Rx antennas that are in an RRC idle state. In this regard, reference will be made to... Figure 12 Provide a description.

[0192] Figure 12 This is a flowchart illustrating the operation of determining the optimal Rx antenna in the RRC idle state according to an embodiment.

[0193] In operation 1201, Figure 3 The user terminal 300 can use the two antennas set to default to receive signals in order to receive paging signals.

[0194] In operation 1203, user terminal 300 can determine whether the SINR value has decreased to less than a threshold TH. In this document, the threshold may correspond to a value corresponding to a criterion used to determine whether the signal state of user terminal 300 corresponds to a very weak electric field (e.g., SINR = 0).

[0195] If the SINR value decreases to below the threshold TH, in other words, if the signal state of user terminal 300 corresponds to a very weak electric field, then in operation 1205, user terminal 300 can activate all four Rx antennas and scan the two optimal Rx antennas. This process can last for several microseconds.

[0196] In operation 1207, user terminal 300 can use two optimal Rx antennas to receive paging signals.

[0197] By configuring the Rx antenna to receive paging signals using a combination of two optimal antennas, the measured SINR value can be relatively good. Figure 12 Specifically, operation 1205 can be performed periodically. For example, when a paging signal is received, operation 1205 can operate at a frequency N times the period (e.g., the DRX operation period). For example, if N is "2" and if the SINR value of the Rx signal measured by the two currently selected antennas decreases to less than a threshold twice, then user terminal 300 can perform... Figure 12 The process allows for the selection of two optimal antennas again.

[0198] Figure 13 An electronic device in a network environment according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0199] Reference Figure 13This description pertains to an electronic device 1301 in a network environment 1300 according to various embodiments of the present disclosure. The electronic device 1301 may include a bus 1310, a processor 1320, a memory 1330, an input / output interface 1350, a display 1360, and a communication interface 1370. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, at least one of the above-described elements may be omitted, or another element may be added to the electronic device 1301.

[0200] Bus 1310 may include circuitry for connecting the aforementioned elements 1310 to 1370 to each other and transmitting communication (e.g., control messages and / or data) between the aforementioned elements.

[0201] Processor 1320 may include at least one of a central processing unit (CPU), an application processor (AP), or a communication processor (CP). Processor 1320 may perform operations or data processing related to communication and / or control of at least one of the other elements of electronic device 1301.

[0202] Memory 1330 may include volatile memory and / or non-volatile memory. Memory 1330 may store instructions or data associated with at least one of the other elements of electronic device 1301. According to embodiments of this disclosure, memory 1330 may store software and / or program 1340. Program 1340 may include, for example, kernel 1341, middleware 1343, application programming interface (API) 1345, and / or application program (or application) 1347. At least a portion of kernel 1341, middleware 1343, or API 1345 may be referred to as an operating system (OS).

[0203] Kernel 1341 can control or manage system resources (e.g., bus 1310, processor 1320, memory 1330, etc.) used to perform operations or functions of other programs (e.g., middleware 1343, API 1345, or application 1347). Furthermore, kernel 1341 can provide an interface that allows middleware 1343, API 1345, or application 1347 to access various components of electronic device 1301 to control or manage system resources.

[0204] Middleware 1343 can act as an intermediary, enabling API 1345 or application 1347 to communicate and / or exchange data with kernel 1341.

[0205] Furthermore, middleware 1343 can process one or more task requests received from application 1347 according to priority order. For example, middleware 1343 can assign priorities to at least one application 1347 for using system resources of electronic device 1301 (e.g., bus 1310, processor 1320, memory 1330, etc.). For example, middleware 1343 can process one or more task requests according to the priorities assigned to at least one application, thereby performing scheduling or load balancing on the one or more task requests.

[0206] As an interface that allows application 1347 to control functions provided by kernel 1341 or middleware 1343, API 1345 may include, for example, at least one interface or function (e.g., instructions) for file control, window control, image processing, character control, etc.

[0207] The input / output interface 1350 can be used to transmit instructions or data input from a user or other external device to other components of the electronic device 1301. Furthermore, the input / output interface 1350 can output instructions or data received from other components of the electronic device 1301 to a user or other external device.

[0208] Display 1360 may include, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED) display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a microelectromechanical system (MEMS) display, or an electronic paper display. Display 1360 may present various content to the user (e.g., text, images, videos, icons, symbols, etc.). Display 1360 may include a touchscreen and may receive touch, gesture, proximity, or hover input from an electronic pen or a user's body part.

[0209] Communication interface 1370 can establish communication between electronic device 1301 and external devices (e.g., first external electronic device 1302, second external electronic device 1304, or server 1306). For example, communication interface 1370 can be connected to network 1362 via wireless or wired communication to communicate with external devices (e.g., second external electronic device 1304 or server 1306).

[0210] Wireless communication may use at least one of the following cellular communication protocols: for example, Long Term Evolution (LET), LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Wideband CDMA (WCDMA), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), Wireless Broadband (WiBro), or Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM). Wireless communication may include, for example, short-range communication 1364. Short-range communication may include at least one of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), Magnetic Stripe Transmission (MST), or GNSS.

[0211] The MST can generate pulses using electromagnetic signals based on the transmitted data, and these pulses can generate magnetic signals. Electronic device 1301 can send magnetic signals to a point of sale (POS). The POS can detect the magnetic signals using an MST reader and obtain the transmitted data by converting the magnetic signals into electrical signals.

[0212] Depending on the area or bandwidth used, GNSS may include at least one of the following: Global Positioning System (GPS), Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), BeiDou Navigation Satellite System, or Galileo (European Global Navigation Satellite System). In the following text, the terms "GPS" and "GNSS" may be used interchangeably. Wired communication may include at least one of the following: Universal Serial Bus (USB), High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Recommended Standard 232 (RS-232), Common Old-Style Telephone Service (POTS), etc. Network 1362 may include at least one of the following telecommunications networks: computer network (e.g., Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN)), Internet, or telephone network.

[0213] The types of the first external electronic device 1302 and the second external electronic device 1304 may be the same as or different from the type of electronic device 1301. According to embodiments of this disclosure, server 1306 may include a group having one or more servers. All or part of the operations performed in electronic device 1301 may be performed in one or more other electronic devices (e.g., the first electronic device 1302, the second external electronic device 1304, or the server 1306). When electronic device 1301 is obligated to perform a specific function or service automatically or in response to a request, in addition to performing the function or service itself, electronic device 1301 may request at least a portion of the functionality related to the function or service from another device (e.g., the first electronic device 1302, the second external electronic device 1304, or the server 1306). This other electronic device (e.g., the first electronic device 1302, the second external electronic device 1304, or the server 1306) may perform the requested function or additional functions and may transmit the results of the execution to electronic device 1301. Electronic device 1301 may use the received results itself, or additionally process the received results, to provide the requested function or service. For this purpose, technologies such as cloud computing, distributed computing, or client-server computing can be used.

[0214] refer to Figure 14 The electronic device 1401 may include, for example Figure 13 The UE 1300 shown may be a part or a whole of it. Electronic device 1401 may include at least one processor (e.g., AP) 1410, communication module 1420, subscriber identification module (SIM) 1429, memory 1430, sensor module 1440, input device 1450, display module 1460, interface 1470, audio module 1480, camera module 1491, power management module 1495, battery 1496, indicator 1497, and motor 1498.

[0215] Processor 1410 can execute or run an operating system (OS) or application, thereby controlling multiple hardware or software elements connected to processor 1410, and can process various data and perform operations. Processor 1410 can be implemented, for example, using a System-on-a-Chip (SoC). According to embodiments of this disclosure, processor 1410 may also include a graphics processing unit (GPU) and / or an image signal processor. Processor 1410 may include Figure 14 At least a portion of the elements shown (e.g., cellular module 1421). Processor 1410 can load instructions or data received from at least one other element (e.g., non-volatile memory) into volatile memory to process the loaded instructions or data, and can store various data in non-volatile memory.

[0216] Can be with Figure 13 The communication module 1420 is configured in the same or similar manner as the communication circuit 1320. The communication module 1420 may include, for example, a cellular module 1421 (e.g., a modem), a WiFi module 1422, a Bluetooth module 1423, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) module 1424 (e.g., a Global Positioning System (GPS) module, a Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS) module, a BeiDou Navigation Satellite System module, or a Galileo Global Navigation Satellite System module), a Near Field Communication (NFC) module 1425, a Magnetic Secure Transmission (MST) module 1426, and a Radio Frequency (RF) module 1427.

[0217] Cellular module 1421 can provide services such as voice call service, video call service, text messaging service, or Internet service through a communication network. Cellular module 1421 can use SIM 1429 (e.g., a SIM card) to identify and authenticate electronic device 1401 within the communication network. Cellular module 1421 can perform at least a portion of the functions available to processor 1410. Cellular module 1421 may include a CP (Content Processor).

[0218] Each of the WiFi module 1422, Bluetooth module 1423, GNSS module 1424, NFC module 1425, and MST module 1426 may include, for example, a processor for processing data transmitted / received through the module. According to embodiments of this disclosure, at least some (e.g., two or more) of the cellular module 1421, WiFi module 1422, Bluetooth module 1423, GNSS module 1424, NFC module 1425, and MST module 1426 may be included in a single integrated circuit (IC) or IC package.

[0219] RF module 1427 can transmit / receive, for example, communication signals (e.g., RF signals). RF module 1427 may include, for example, a transceiver, a power amplifier module (PAM), a frequency filter, a low-noise amplifier (LNA), an antenna, etc. According to embodiments of this disclosure, at least one of cellular module 1421, WiFi module 1422, Bluetooth module 1423, GNSS module 1424, NFC module 1425, or MST module 1426 can transmit / receive RF signals through a separate RF module.

[0220] SIM 1429 may include, for example, an embedded SIM and / or card containing a SIM, and may include unique identification information (e.g., Integrated Circuit Card Identifier (ICCID)) or subscriber information (e.g., International Mobile Subscriber Identifier (IMSI)).

[0221] Memory 1430 (e.g., Figure 13The memory 1360 may include, for example, internal memory 1432 or external memory 1434. Internal memory 1432 may include at least one of the following: volatile memory (e.g., dynamic random access memory (DRAM), static RAM (SRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), etc.), non-volatile memory (e.g., one-time programmable read-only memory (OTPROM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), masked ROM, flash ROM, flash memory (e.g., NAND flash or NOR flash), hard disk drive or solid-state drive (SSD).

[0222] External memory 1434 may include flash memory drives, such as compact flash (CF) drives, secure digital (SD) drives, micro SD drives, miniature SD drives, extreme digital (xD) drives, multimedia card (MMC) drives, memory sticks, etc. External memory 1434 may be operatively connected and / or physically connected to electronic device 1401 through various interfaces.

[0223] Security module 1436 (as a module including storage space that is more secure (e.g., has a higher security level) than memory 1430) can be circuitry for providing secure data storage and a protected execution environment. Security module 1436 can be implemented as additional circuitry and can include an additional processor. Security module 1436 can reside in an attached smart chip or SD card, or can include an embedded secure element (eSE) mounted in a fixed chip. Additionally, security module 1436 can be driven in a different OS than the OS of electronic device 1401. For example, security module 1436 can operate based on the Java Card Open Platform (JCOP) OS.

[0224] Sensor module 1440 may, for example, measure physical quantities or detect the operating state of electronic device 1401 in order to convert the measured or detected information into electrical signals. Sensor module 1440 may include at least one of the following: gesture sensor 1440A, gyroscope sensor 1440B, barometric pressure sensor 1440C, magnetic sensor 1440D, accelerometer sensor 1440E, grip force sensor 1440F, proximity sensor 1440G, color sensor 1440H (e.g., red / green / blue (RGB) sensor), biosensor 1440I, temperature / humidity sensor 1440J, illuminance sensor 1440K, or ultraviolet (UV) light sensor 1440M. Additionally or alternatively, sensor module 1440 may include, for example, an olfactory sensor (e.g., an electronic nose sensor), an electromyography (EMG) sensor, an electroencephalography (EEG) sensor, an electrocardiogram (ECG) sensor, an infrared (IR) sensor, an iris recognition sensor, and / or a fingerprint sensor. The sensor module 1440 may further include control circuitry for controlling at least one of the included sensors. In embodiments of this disclosure, the electronic device 1401 may further include a processor configured to control the sensor module 1440, which is part of or separate from the processor 1410, such that the sensor module 1440 is controlled when the processor 1410 is in a low-power or sleep state.

[0225] Input device 1450 may include, for example, a touch panel 1452, a (digital) pen sensor 1454, a button 1456, or an ultrasonic input device 1458. Touch panel 1452 may use at least one of capacitive, resistive, infrared, and ultraviolet light sensing methods. Touch panel 1452 may also include control circuitry. Touch panel 1452 may also include a haptic layer to provide haptic feedback to the user.

[0226] The (digital) pen sensor 1454 may include, for example, an identification piece that is part of a touch panel or a separate sensor. The button 1456 may include, for example, a physical button, an optical button, or a keypad. The ultrasonic input device 1458 may use a microphone 1488 to sense ultrasonic waves generated by the input tool to identify data corresponding to the sensed ultrasonic waves.

[0227] Display module 1460 (e.g., Figure 13 The display 1370 may include a panel 1462, a holographic device 1464, or a projector 1466. The panel 1462 may be configured to interact with... Figure 13The display 1370 is the same as or similar to the control panel 1462. The panel 1462 can be, for example, flexible, transparent, or wearable. The panel 1462 and the touch panel 1452 can be integrated into a single module. The holographic device 1464 can display stereoscopic images in the air using the interference phenomenon of light. The projector 1466 can project light onto the screen to display images. The screen can be arranged inside or outside the electronic device 1401. According to embodiments of this disclosure, the display module 1460 may also include control circuitry for the control panel 1462, the holographic device 1464, or the projector 1466.

[0228] Interface 1470 may include, for example, a High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) 1472, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) 1474, an optical interface 1476, or a D-Sub connector 1478. For example, interface 1470 may include... Figure 13 In the communication circuit 1320. Alternatively or additionally, interface 1470 may include, for example, a Mobile High Definition Link (MHL) interface, an SD card / MMC interface, or an Infrared Data Association (IrDA) interface.

[0229] For example, audio module 1480 can convert sound signals into electrical signals and vice versa. Audio module 1480 can process sound information input or output through speaker 1482, earpiece 1484, headphones 1486, or microphone 1488.

[0230] Camera module 1491 is, for example, a device for capturing still images or videos. According to embodiments of the invention, camera module 1491 may include at least one image sensor (e.g., a front sensor or a rear sensor), a lens, an image signal processor (ISP), or a flash (e.g., a light-emitting diode (LED) or a xenon lamp).

[0231] Power management module 1495 can manage the power of electronic device 1401. According to embodiments of the present invention, power management module 1495 may include a power management integrated circuit (PMIC), a charger IC, a battery, or a battery gauge. The PMIC may use wired and / or wireless charging methods. Wireless charging methods may include, for example, magnetic resonance methods, magnetic induction methods, electromagnetic methods, etc. Additional circuitry for wireless charging may also be included, such as coil circuits, resonant circuits, or rectifiers. For example, when charging a battery, the battery gauge may measure the remaining capacity of battery 1496 and its voltage, current, or temperature. For example, battery 1496 may include a rechargeable battery and / or a solar cell.

[0232] Indicator 1497 can display a specific state of electronic device 1401 or a portion thereof (e.g., processor 1410), such as boot state, message state, charging state, etc. Motor 1498 can convert electrical signals into mechanical vibrations and can generate vibrational or tactile effects. Electronic device 1401 may include a processing device (e.g., GPU) for supporting mobile TV. The processing device for supporting mobile TV can process content compliant with Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB), Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB), and MediaFlo... TM Standard media data.

[0233] Each element described herein can be configured as one or more components, and the element name may vary depending on the type of electronic device. In various embodiments of this disclosure, the electronic device may include at least one of the elements described herein, and some elements may be omitted, or additional elements may be added. Furthermore, some elements of the electronic device may be combined with each other to form a single entity, such that it performs the same function as the elements performed before the combination.

[0234] Figure 15 This is a block diagram illustrating program modules according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0235] refer to Figure 15 Program module 1510 (e.g., program 1340) may include an operating system (OS) for controlling resources associated with an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 1301) and / or various applications (e.g., application 1347) running on the OS. The operating system may be, for example, Android, iOS, Windows, Symbian, Tizen, etc.

[0236] Program module 1510 may include kernel 1520, middleware 1530, API 1560, and / or application 1570. At least a portion of program module 1510 may be pre-loaded onto an electronic device or downloaded from an external electronic device (e.g., a first electronic device 1302, a second external electronic device 1304, or a server 1306).

[0237] Kernel 1520 (e.g., kernel 1341) may include, for example, system resource manager 1521 or device driver 1523. System resource manager 1521 may perform control, allocation, or acquisition of system resources. According to embodiments of this disclosure, system resource manager 1521 may include a process management unit, a memory management unit, a file system management unit, etc. Device driver 1523 may include, for example, a display driver, a camera driver, a Bluetooth driver, a shared memory driver, a USB driver, a keypad driver, a Wi-Fi driver, an audio driver, or an inter-process communication (IPC) driver.

[0238] Middleware 1530 may provide, for example, the functionality typically required by application 1570, or may provide various functionalities to application 1570 via API 1560 so that application 1570 can effectively utilize the limited system resources in the electronic device. According to embodiments of this disclosure, middleware 1530 (e.g., middleware 1343) may include at least one of the following: runtime library 1535, application manager 1541, window manager 1542, multimedia manager 1543, resource manager 1544, power manager 1545, database manager 1546, group manager 1547, connection manager 1548, notification manager 1549, location manager 1550, graphics manager 1551, security manager 1552, and payment manager 1554.

[0239] Runtime library 1535 may include, for example, library modules that the compiler uses to add new functionality through the programming language when application 1570 is running. Runtime library 1535 can perform functions for input / output management, memory management, or arithmetic functions.

[0240] Application Manager 1541 can manage the lifecycle of at least one application, such as application 1570. Window Manager 1542 can manage GUI resources used on the screen. Multimedia Manager 1543 can identify the formats required for playing various media files and can encode or decode media files using codecs that match the formats. Resource Manager 1544 can manage resources of at least one application, such as source code, memory, or storage space, in application 1570.

[0241] The power manager 1545 can operate in conjunction with the basic input / output system (BIOS) to manage battery or power and provide power information required to operate electronic devices. The database manager 1546 can create, search, or modify databases to be used in at least one application 1570. The group manager 1547 can manage the installation or updates of applications distributed in group file format.

[0242] Connection manager 1548 manages wireless connections such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Notification manager 1549 can display or notify events, such as incoming messages, appointments, and proximity reminders, in a non-disruptive manner to the user. Location manager 1550 manages the location information of the electronic device. Graphics manager 1551 manages the graphical effects to be provided to the user or the associated user interface. Security manager 1552 can provide various security functions required for system security or user authentication. According to embodiments of this disclosure, if the electronic device (e.g., electronic device 1301) includes telephone functionality, middleware 1530 may also include a telephone manager for managing the voice calling or video calling functions of the electronic device.

[0243] Middleware 1530 may include middleware modules for forming various combinations of functions of the aforementioned components. Middleware 1530 may provide modules specialized for each type of operating system to provide different functionalities. Furthermore, middleware 1530 may dynamically remove some existing components and / or add new components.

[0244] API 1560 (e.g., API 1345) is, for example, a collection of API programming functions, and can be provided in different configurations depending on the operating system. For example, in the case of Android or iOS, one API set may be provided for each platform, while in the case of Tizen, at least two API sets may be provided for each platform.

[0245] Application 1570 (e.g., application 1347) may include at least one application capable of providing functions such as: homepage 1571, dialer 1572, SMS / MMS 1573, instant messaging (IM) 1574, browser 1575, camera 1576, alarm clock 1577, contacts 1578, voice dialing 1579, email 1580, calendar 1581, media player 1582, photo album 1583, clock 1584, health care (e.g., measuring exercise or blood sugar) or environmental information provision (e.g., providing barometric pressure, humidity, or temperature information).

[0246] According to embodiments of this disclosure, application 1570 may include an information exchange application that supports information exchange between an electronic device (e.g., electronic device 1301) and an external electronic device (e.g., a first electronic device 1302 or a second external electronic device 1304). For example, the information exchange application may include a notification relay application for relaying specific information to the external electronic device or a device management application for managing the external electronic device.

[0247] For example, a notification relay application may have the function of relaying notification information generated by other applications of an external electronic device (e.g., SMS / MMS application, email application, healthcare application, environmental information application, etc.) to an external electronic device (e.g., a first external electronic device 1302 or a second external electronic device 1304). Furthermore, the notification relay application can receive notification information from external electronic devices and can provide the received notification information to the user.

[0248] For example, a device management application can manage (e.g., install, remove, or update) at least one function of an external electronic device (e.g., the first electronic device 1302 or the second external electronic device 1304) that communicates with the electronic device (e.g., the on / off state of the external electronic device itself (or some components), or the brightness (or resolution) adjustment of the display), an application running in the external electronic device, or an application provided by the external electronic device (e.g., call service, messaging service, etc.).

[0249] According to embodiments of this disclosure, application 1570 may include an application specified based on the attributes of an external electronic device (e.g., a health care application for a mobile medical device). Application 1570 may include an application received from an external electronic device (e.g., the first electronic device 1302 or the second external electronic device 1304). Application 1570 may include pre-loaded applications or third-party applications downloadable from a server. The names of the elements of the illustrated program module 1510 may vary depending on the type of operating system.

[0250] According to various embodiments of this disclosure, at least a portion of program module 1510 may be implemented using software, firmware, hardware, or a combination thereof. For example, at least a portion of program module 1510 may be implemented (e.g., executed) by a processor (e.g., processor 1410). At least a portion of program module 1510 may, for example, include a module, program, routine, instruction set, or process for performing at least one function.

[0251] As used herein, the term "module" can refer to a unit that includes, for example, one or a combination of hardware, software, and firmware. The term "module" is used interchangeably with the terms "unit," "logic," "logic block," "component," and "circuit." A "module" can be the smallest unit of an integrated component or a part thereof. A "module" can be the smallest unit or a part thereof for performing one or more functions. A "module" can be implemented mechanically or electronically. For example, a "module" can include at least one of an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) chip, a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), and a programmable logic device for performing some known or future-developed operations.

[0252] At least a portion of an apparatus (e.g., its modules or functions) or method (e.g., operation) according to various embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented as instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium as program modules. When the instructions are executed by a processor (e.g., processor 1320), the processor can perform a function corresponding to the instructions. For example, the computer-readable storage medium may be memory 1330.

[0253] Computer-readable recording media may include hard disks, floppy disks, magnetic media (e.g., magnetic tape), optical media (e.g., CD-ROMs, digital multipurpose disks (DVDs)), magneto-optical media (e.g., optical-magnetic-floppy disks), hardware devices (e.g., ROM, RAM, flash memory), etc. Program instructions may include machine language code generated by a compiler and high-level language code executable by a computer using an annotation tool. The aforementioned hardware devices may be configured to operate as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the various embodiments of this disclosure, and vice versa.

[0254] For example, an electronic device may include a processor and a memory that stores computer-readable instructions. The memory may include instructions for performing the various methods or functions described above when executed by the processor.

[0255] Modules or program modules according to various embodiments of this disclosure may include at least one of the elements described above, and some elements may be omitted, or other additional elements may be added. Operations performed by modules, program modules, or other components according to various embodiments of this disclosure may be performed sequentially, in parallel, iteratively, or heuristically. Furthermore, some operations may be performed in a different order, or may be omitted, or other operations may be added.

[0256] Although this disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, various changes and modifications may be suggested to those skilled in the art. This disclosure is intended to include such changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. At least one processor of an electronic device, said at least one processor being configured to, in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state: Signal state is identified based on parameters indicating signal strength or signal quality. When the identified signal state corresponds to a medium-to-weak electric field, the downlink control information (DCI) rate is determined when using the two antennas of the electronic device to receive the RxD diversity signal. When the DCI rate exceeds a first threshold, the radio frequency (RF) circuit controlling the electronic device receives signals using the four antennas of the electronic device at a 4RxD ratio. in, As the electronic device's applications for real-time streaming are executed more frequently, the first threshold decreases.

2. The at least one processor according to claim 1 is further configured to: Determine the DCI rate when receiving signals with 4RxD, and When the DCI rate is less than the second threshold, the RF circuit is controlled to receive the signal at 2RxD.

3. The at least one processor according to claim 2, wherein, The second threshold is lower than the first threshold.

4. The at least one processor according to claim 2, wherein, The second threshold is equal to the first threshold.

5. The at least one processor according to claim 2, further configured to: When receiving signals with 4RxD, determine the receiving sensitivity of each of the four antennas, and When the DCI rate is less than the second threshold, the RF circuit is controlled to use the two antennas with higher receiving sensitivity among the four antennas to receive the signal at 2RxD.

6. The at least one processor according to claim 1, wherein, The parameter corresponds to at least one of the following: Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Energy-to-Interference Ratio (ECIO), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), or Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR).

7. The at least one processor according to claim 1, wherein, The electronic device includes: The first and third antennas are located at the lower end of the electronic device, and The second and fourth antennas are located at the top of the electronic device.

8. The at least one processor according to claim 1, wherein, DCI rate is identified based on the number of downlink licenses received per unit time period.

9. The at least one processor according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one processor is also configured to determine the DCI rate by the number of downlink grants received within a specified time unit.

10. A method executed by at least one processor of an electronic device in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) connected state, the method comprising: Identify signal state based on parameters indicating signal strength or signal quality; When the identified signal state corresponds to a medium-weak electric field, the downlink control information (DCI) rate is determined when using the two antennas of the electronic device to receive the diversity RxD received signal in 2-bit diversity mode. as well as When the DCI rate exceeds a first threshold, the radio frequency (RF) circuit controlling the electronic device receives signals using the four antennas of the electronic device at a 4RxD ratio. The first threshold decreases as the electronic device's application for real-time streaming is executed more frequently.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising: Determine the DCI rate when receiving signals with 4RxD, and When the DCI rate is less than the second threshold, the RF circuit is controlled to receive the signal at 2RxD.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The second threshold is lower than the first threshold.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein, The second threshold is equal to the first threshold.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising: When receiving signals with 4RxD, determine the receiving sensitivity of each of the four antennas, and When the DCI rate is less than the second threshold, the RF circuit is controlled to use the two antennas with higher receiving sensitivity among the four antennas to receive the signal at 2RxD.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein, The parameter corresponds to at least one of the following: Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Energy-to-Interference Ratio (ECIO), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ), or Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR).

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