Efficient signal monitoring

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing a user equipment, UE, having a primary receiver and a secondary receiver, comprising the step of the UE measuring a signal strength of a signal received from a serving base station using the secondary receiver. When the measured signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station falls to a first threshold, the secondary receiver causes the primary receiver to switch from the lower power mode to the higher power mode, and the primary receiver of the UE rather than the secondary receiver measures the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a system, method, and user equipment for more effectively and efficiently waking up user equipment (UE) by improving base station efficiency. Background Technology

[0002] Battery life of mobile devices or user equipment (UEs) is a consideration in 5G systems, along with throughput, latency, and reliability. Many operations performed within a single UE can affect their battery life. Therefore, one objective is to achieve improved energy efficiency and, consequently, reduced battery consumption. Research project TR 38.840 in Release 16 (Rel-16) has led to the adoption of various techniques to reduce UE power consumption, and RP-221543 introduces further techniques.

[0003] In both versions 16 and 17, it was recognized that paging is a process that consumes a significant amount of power in the UE. The UE can be configured to have wake-up periods of a specific length (e.g., in terms of discontinuous reception or DRX cycles). During these periods, the UE is able to receive paging signals. The DRX cycle can be lengthened to allow the UE to sleep for longer periods and reduce power consumption, but this results in increased latency, which is undesirable.

[0004] During periods without signaling or data traffic, the UE needs to be periodically woken up (e.g., once per DRX cycle) in order to perform coarse synchronization by measuring synchronization blocks so that it can receive paging messages (if sent). Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the process and how the UE changes the receiver's power mode from deep sleep (DS) to light sleep (LS) when the receiver may receive a synchronization signal block (SSB) burst (where power overhead occurs), and then returns to DS power mode (see [link]). Figure 1 (See timing diagram A). The durations of SSB and PO can be variable, depending on the subcarrier spacing and cyclic prefix length. This can be configured by the network. Therefore, Figure 1 The diagram illustrates an example configuration.

[0005] Version 17 introduced a new behavior involving Early Paging Instructions (PEI), such as... Figure 1 As shown in timing diagram B, the base station (gNB) or core network indicates to the UE whether to monitor any paging opportunities (PO). The PEI indicates to the UE whether it may be paged and instructs the UE to select the appropriate power mode. Figure 1 As shown in timing diagram B, PEI indicates to the UE that it will not monitor paging times, so the receiver can enter a deep sleep mode and reduce its power consumption.

[0006] In version 18, a new approach requires adding a new low-power receiver within the UE. This low-power or secondary receiver is separate from the primary or master receiver. When the secondary receiver receives a signal, it wakes up the master receiver. This might happen, for example, when the network needs to page the UE (or for other reasons). This secondary or low-power wake-up receiver (LP-WUR) may need to monitor the ultra-low power wake-up signal (LP-WUS) sent by the base station (gNB), which can indicate whether to wake up the primary or master receiver (allowing the master receiver to remain in deep sleep mode during this period).

[0007] When not in connected mode (i.e., idle or inactive mode), the UE can determine whether the serving base station is adequately providing service to the UE. The UE does this by periodically performing signal level measurements. These measurements can be inter-frequency or intra-frequency measurements. The UE can also begin measuring signals received from neighboring cells when the signal drops below a certain threshold. The accuracy of these measurements is important because they determine how and when the UE initiates the cell reselection process. Measurements are performed using the primary receiver to maintain accuracy, but this can be improved.

[0008] Therefore, a method and system are needed to overcome these problems. Summary of the Invention

[0009] User equipment (UE), such as mobile phones or IoT devices, consists of a primary receiver (used to communicate with a gNB, base station, or telecommunications network) and a secondary receiver. The secondary or low-power receiver uses significantly less power than the primary receiver but cannot receive most of the signals required for cellular communication. The primary receiver can switch from a high-power mode, in which it can receive signals from the base station, to a low-power mode, in which it cannot receive signals. It can also have other intermediate power modes.

[0010] Even if the secondary receiver is constantly operating (despite limited resources), this still consumes some power. Furthermore, the secondary receiver is not as sensitive as the primary receiver. Therefore, it's possible that while the base station is sending signals to the secondary receiver (e.g., attempting to trigger a wake-up event), the secondary receiver is not receiving these signals and therefore fails to wake up the primary receiver or switch it to a high-power mode. For the base station or gNB, this wastes power and computational resources without any benefit (the UE cannot receive these signals or act upon them).

[0011] When the signal level measured by the UE in a disconnected mode (e.g., idle or deactivated mode) is high (e.g., because the UE is near the center of the cell), a lower accuracy signal measurement (e.g., dB) is sufficient, as these signal levels are likely to be acceptable within a range where the UE does not need to start measurements from neighboring cells (e.g., above -60 dB to -80 dB). This is because cell or base station reselection is unlikely. Therefore, the UE can use a secondary (lower power) receiver for signal level measurements (from the serving cell or base station). This has the benefit of saving power and resources, as the primary or master receiver can remain in a lower power or sleep mode. However, when the signal level measured by the secondary receiver drops to or below a first (predetermined or definable) threshold level (e.g., -79 dB), the primary receiver can be activated, woken up, or otherwise powered on and take over acquiring the signal measurement results from the secondary receiver.

[0012] At this point, the primary receiver can continue measuring the signal from the serving base station. However, if the signal received and measured by the primary (higher power) receiver further decreases, i.e., drops to a second threshold (e.g., -86 dB), the primary receiver can then begin measuring the signal received from neighboring base stations instead of (or as well as) the serving base station. Initially, the primary receiver can measure the signal from the neighboring base station in relaxation mode (i.e., with a sampling interval higher than normal mode). Relaxation mode can use less power and processing resources than normal mode. The primary receiver continues to perform these measurements in relaxation mode unless the signal measurement results drop below a third threshold (e.g., -89 dB). If this signal level is reached, the measurement results of the signal level of the neighboring base station are recorded in normal mode (i.e., the interval between measurements is shorter than in relaxation mode).

[0013] A reselection process (e.g., switching to a new serving base station) can occur whenever a reselection criterion is met. This can happen, for example, when comparing signal levels between the serving base station and any one or more neighboring base stations, and the neighboring base station's signal is higher than the serving base station's (or has other higher parameters by comparison), while the serving base station's signal level is below a specific value or threshold. Optionally, a reselection criterion check can begin once a second threshold is reached (i.e., the signal from the serving base station drops to that level).

[0014] If the measured signal level moves in the opposite direction (e.g., the serving base station level increases above a first threshold or a separate threshold), the auxiliary receiver can take over the measurement, and the primary receiver can power down or enter a low-power or sleep mode. The auxiliary receiver can control whether the primary receiver is in a low-power or high-power (active) mode by sending signals or messages to the primary receiver, and the primary receiver maintains sufficient power in low-power or sleep mode to monitor such signals or messages from the auxiliary receiver.

[0015] According to a first aspect, a method for managing a user equipment (UE) having a primary receiver and an auxiliary receiver is provided, the method comprising the following steps: The UE uses an auxiliary receiver to measure the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station; and When the measured signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station drops to a first threshold: The auxiliary receiver enables the main receiver to switch from a lower power mode to a higher power mode; and The UE's primary receiver, rather than a secondary receiver, measures the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station. Therefore, fewer resources are devoted to monitoring base station signal levels (when the probability of needing to make any operational changes based on the measurement results is much lower), allowing for higher-quality measurements only when necessary. This reduces power consumption without compromising UE availability. The primary receiver can begin measurements from the serving base station when a first threshold is reached. Alternatively, it can simultaneously perform signal measurements from neighboring base stations, or only begin doing so when the signal drops below a second threshold.

[0016] This method can begin with the main receiver in a low-power mode. A low-power mode can be a power mode that consumes some power (e.g., to perform minimal background tasks but cannot measure the signal level of the received signal). Alternatively, a low-power mode can completely power down the main receiver, consuming no power at all.

[0017] Advantageously, the auxiliary receiver can have lower signal measurement sensitivity than the main receiver and / or consume less power than the main receiver when performing signal measurements. This saves power when only lower quality or less critical measurements are required.

[0018] Optionally, the method may further include the following steps: When the signal strength of the signal from the serving base station, as measured by the main receiver, drops to a second threshold, the main receiver measures the signal strength of the signal received from a base station adjacent to the serving base station, instead of measuring the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station. The second threshold is a signal strength level lower than the first threshold. When the signal received from the serving base station drops to a certain level, this may indicate that a reselection is needed (but the reselection criteria have not yet been met). A second threshold can be set such that it is important to begin monitoring signals from one or more neighboring base stations when this threshold is reached.

[0019] Optionally, the primary receiver can measure the signal strength of signals from the serving base station and / or neighboring base stations in relaxation mode. Relaxation mode may involve longer measurement intervals than normal mode or other resource-saving measures. Optionally, the primary receiver can also simultaneously perform measurements from the serving base station in relaxation (or normal) mode.

[0020] Optionally, the method may further include the following steps: When the signal strength of the signal from the neighboring base station and / or the serving base station, as measured by the main receiver, drops to a third threshold, the main receiver measures the signal strength from the neighboring base station and / or the serving base station in normal mode instead of relaxation mode. The third threshold is a signal strength lower than the second threshold. The third threshold can be set to indicate the signal level at which reselection is urgently needed. This can also be indicated by a signal level measured from the neighboring base station that is significantly higher than the signal level of the serving base station (e.g., a difference greater than 5-10 dB). Therefore, more regular measurements may be necessary and more important than the resource savings provided by using relaxation mode. The threshold can be set and / or changed by network components.

[0021] Optionally, the method may further include the following steps: A base station reselection process is initiated when one or more cell reselection criteria are met. This can occur at any measured signal level and ensures that the best base station acts as the serving base station while reducing base station hopping. Preferably, the reselection criterion check begins when the primary receiver starts monitoring signal levels from one or more neighboring base stations (i.e., after a second threshold is reached).

[0022] Alternatively, this method can operate with the UE in a non-connected mode. Therefore, the UE only needs to monitor signal conditions before needing a connected mode and being able to provide data and other services.

[0023] Optionally, the non-connected mode can be an idle mode or a deactivated mode.

[0024] Optionally, the method may further include the following steps: When the signal strength of the signal from the serving base station measured by the main receiver rises above the fourth threshold: The UE's secondary receiver, rather than the primary receiver, measures the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station; and The primary receiver switches to a lower power mode. The fourth threshold can be the same as the first threshold. However, to avoid hysteresis (or oscillation), the fourth threshold can be higher than the first threshold (e.g., about 1-5 dB higher). The reselection criterion check can also stop when the signal level from the serving base station rises above the first (or fourth) threshold. Therefore, the method may reverse when the signal strengthens. This can also be extended to the second and third thresholds, i.e., when the signal rises to or slightly above the second threshold, the primary receiver stops measuring the signal level of neighboring base stations, and / or when the signal level measured from a neighboring base station rises to or just above the third threshold, the mode changes from normal to relaxed.

[0025] Optionally, the signal measurement can be an intra-frequency or inter-frequency signal strength measurement. Preferably, an intra-frequency measurement is performed.

[0026] Optionally, the first threshold can be between -70dB and -90dB. The second threshold can be between -80dB and -90dB. The third threshold can be between -85dB and -95dB. Other values ​​and threshold levels can also be used.

[0027] According to the second aspect, user equipment (UE) can be provided, including: Main receiver; The auxiliary receiver consumes less power than the main receiver when receiving signals and measuring the strength of received signals; and One or more processors and one or more storage devices storing instructions, the instructions being operable, when executed by one or more computers, to cause one or more processors to perform the following steps: The signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station is measured by the auxiliary receiver; When the measured signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station drops to a first threshold: Switch the main receiver from a lower power mode to a higher power mode; and The signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station is measured using the UE's primary receiver instead of the UE's secondary receiver.

[0028] Optionally, the auxiliary receiver can be configured to receive a wake-up signal from the base station and, in response, issue a command to the primary receiver to switch from a second power mode to a first power mode, wherein the primary receiver consumes more power in the first power mode than in the second power mode. Therefore, the auxiliary receiver can have at least a dual purpose.

[0029] According to the third aspect, a telecommunications system may be provided, comprising: UE as described above; and One or more base stations (including the serving base station and one or more adjacent base stations).

[0030] Optionally, the telecommunications system can be configured to operate using LTE, 5G, and / or 6G technologies. Other technologies can be used and used in conjunction with them.

[0031] According to a third aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing software including instructions executable by one or more computers, which, when executed, cause one or more computers to perform the methods described above.

[0032] The above method can be implemented as a computer program that includes program instructions for operating the computer. The computer program can be stored on a computer-readable medium, including non-transitory computer-readable media.

[0033] A computer system may include one or more processors (e.g., local, virtual, or cloud-based), such as a central processing unit (CPU), and / or a single or group of graphics processing units (GPUs). The processors may execute logic in the form of software programs. The computer system may include memory, comprising volatile and non-volatile storage media. Computer-readable media (CRMs) may be included to store logic or program instructions. For example, embodiments may include a non-transitory computer-readable media (CRM) storing software including instructions executable by one or more computers that, when executed, cause one or more computers to perform disclosed methods. The non-transitory CRM may relate to a CRM that stores data for short periods or in the presence of power, such as a memory device or random access memory (RAM). For example, a non-transitory computer-readable medium may include storage components such as hard disks (e.g., magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, and / or solid-state drives), compact discs (CDs), digital versatile discs (DVDs), floppy disks, cassette tapes, and / or magnetic tapes. Different parts of the system may be connected using a network (e.g., wireless and wired networks). The computer system may include one or more interfaces. Computer systems can include suitable operating systems, such as UNIX, Windows (RTM), or Linux.

[0034] It should be noted that any of the above features can be used with any particular aspect or embodiment of the present invention. Attached Figure Description

[0035] This invention can be practiced in many ways, but embodiments will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating the signal timing between the network and the user equipment (UE) is shown. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a system for initiating communication between a network and a UE is shown. Figure 3 It shows the method for management Figure 2 The flowchart of the UE method; Figure 4 It shows the method for management Figure 2 A flowchart of another method for UE; Figure 5 It shows the method for management Figure 2 A flowchart of another method for UE; Figure 6 It shows Figure 2 A graphical illustration of the operations performed by the UE; Figure 7 It shows Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the timeline of events executed by the UE; Figure 8 It shows Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the events and conditions executed by the UE; and Figure 9 It shows the method for execution Figure 3 , 4 A schematic diagram of the system using methods 5 and / or 6; It should be noted that these figures are shown for simplicity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The same features are represented by the same reference numerals. Detailed Implementation

[0036] A low-power auxiliary receiver is used to wake up the primary receiver and has characteristics different from the primary receiver in the new radio (NR) user equipment (UE). Preferably, the auxiliary receiver has reduced complexity, allowing the primary receiver to be powered off more frequently while the auxiliary receiver remains operational, and the entire system thus consumes less power. This difference and energy saving can be quite significant. The primary receiver is configured to receive certain types of signals (e.g., a first signal or a first signal type), while the auxiliary receiver is configured to receive different types of signals (e.g., a second signal or a second signal type). Therefore, the auxiliary receiver (i.e., the low-power wake-up receiver – LP-WUR) consumes less power than the primary receiver (e.g., at least an order of magnitude less). To allow for this lower complexity, the types of signals received by the auxiliary receiver should also follow a simpler design. The characteristics of this new (second) signal LP-WUS (low-power wake-up signal) may include, but are not limited to: 1) Lower modulation order (OOK, FSK); and 2) The amount of data transmitted is relatively small. In some cases, the second signal (LP-WUS) can be a substitute for (or supplement to) the PEI (Early Paging Indication) function, such as... Figure 1As shown in timing diagram B, or used as a trigger for monitoring one or more paging opportunities, for example by monitoring the physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) in the primary receiver, such as... Figure 1 The timing diagram is shown in Figure A. However, both receivers can measure the signal strength of each different type of signal. In other words, although the auxiliary receiver is optimized to receive signals different from the primary receiver, it can still be used to monitor and measure other signal types, including those intended for the primary receiver.

[0037] When compared to the primary receiver, the secondary receiver (LP-WUR) can have a simpler architecture with lower cost and less complex components because the demodulation of the wake-up (second) signal is not as complex as the demodulation of conventional signals (such as NR channels / signals) received by the primary receiver.

[0038] For example, the receiver architecture used for auxiliary receivers can be based on: 1) RF envelope detection; 2) Heterodyne architecture with mid-frequency envelope detection; 3) Zero-difference / zero-IF architecture with baseband envelope detection; and 4) FSK (Frequency Shift Keying) receiver.

[0039] When compared to the primary receiver, these auxiliary receiver architectures are optimized for lower power consumption at the expense of lower receiver sensitivity. Sensitivity values ​​for the primary or master receiver can be found on TS 38.101-1; for receiving a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) signal of n1, using a 15 kHz SCS and 2RX receiver, the sensitivity can be as low as -96.8 dBm. For comparison, the aforementioned architecture types for auxiliary receivers can have sensitivity values ​​between -50 and -90 dBm.

[0040] Due to its lower receive sensitivity compared to the primary receiver, the secondary receiver (LP-WUR) may experience coverage degradation under the second signal (LP-WUS) design, and therefore may not always be able to detect the second signal (LP-WUS) indicating that the UE will be paged. Consequently, there may be no trigger to wake the primary receiver, and these messages may be missed when the base station gNodeB or gNB transmits paging (or other) messages. If the UE cannot be paged due to coverage issues caused by the lower sensitivity of the secondary receiver (LP-WUR) resulting in the failure to detect the second signal (LP-WUS), the UE may remain in a state where it is not woken up because it has not been triggered by the secondary receiver (LP-WUR). Even in the absence of coverage level issues (i.e., if the primary receiver is in high-power mode), this may prevent the UE from receiving paging messages.

[0041] While the purpose of employing the LP-WUR / LP-WUS (Second Signal / Auxiliary Receiver) mechanism is to wake up the primary or main radio transceiver upon network triggering, this does not require completely shutting down the primary receiver. Instead, it will enter a deeper sleep state (low-power mode) and will not be completely shut down.

[0042] Several different power modes or sleep states can exist. Deep sleep or minimum power mode can be defined relative to the fully active state. Active or maximum power states or modes can have a relative power unit of 1. The deep sleep power state may consume approximately 0.015 times the power of the main receiver's active state. This can be found in TR 38.869.

[0043] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of system 10 is shown, which integrates UE 20 and base stations (gNB or gNodeB) 30 connected to other parts of telecommunications network 70. System 10 may include multiple base stations 30 and many UEs 20, but for simplicity, Figure 2 Only a single UE 20 and base station 30 are shown. One or more (a group of) neighboring base stations (not shown in this figure) may exist. These neighboring base stations provide an alternative to the serving base station (30 in this figure) in the event of signal degradation.

[0044] The primary receiver 40 and the secondary receiver 50 are shown within the UE 20. Both receivers are shown as antennas 90 connected to the UE; however, in some alternative implementations, separate antennas may exist, with each receiver having its own antenna. A processing unit 60 is illustrated together with the primary receiver 40, but this processing unit may be located elsewhere. The base station 30 also has its own processor 80, which controls how and when the first and second signals are transmitted from the base station 30 using antenna 85.

[0045] exist Figure 2In the diagram, the transmission of a first signal 45 is shown between base station 30 and main receiver 40. A second signal 55 is also schematically shown between base station 30 and auxiliary receiver 50. Auxiliary receiver 50 is shown communicating with main receiver 40. Specifically, when auxiliary receiver 50 receives the second signal 55, trigger 25 is sent from auxiliary receiver 50 to main receiver 40, which is processed by processing device 60 of main receiver 40 to change the power state of main receiver 40 from any low power mode to a high (or higher) power mode, enabling main receiver 40 to receive the first signal 45 from base station 30. Trigger 25 can be sent from auxiliary receiver 50 to main receiver 40 regardless of whether auxiliary receiver 50 receives wake-up (LP-WUS) signal 55, and the ability to send this trigger is utilized in the following description and enhancements.

[0046] These receiver architectures are designed to achieve lower power consumption compared to the primary receiver, at the cost of lower receiver sensitivity. The sensitivity values ​​for the primary receiver or main receiver 40 can be found on TS 38.101-1, and for receiving a 15kHz SCS n1 QPSK signal using a 2RX receiver, the sensitivity can be as low as -96.8dBm.

[0047] For comparison, the sensitivity of the auxiliary receiver 50 can be between -50 and -90 dBm. Due to its lower receiving sensitivity compared to the primary receiver, the LP-WUR may experience a decrease in coverage performance based on the LP-WUS signal design.

[0048] When UE 20 is in a disconnected mode (e.g., idle mode), the receiver of UE 20 obtains the serving cell and target cell measurement results. If the secondary receiver 40 is responsible for these measurements and also for the reselection process, the different sensitivity levels of the primary receiver 40 and the secondary (LP-WUR) receiver 50 can be expected to cause difficulties. Therefore, in the existing implementation, only the primary receiver 40 is used.

[0049] Figure 3A flowchart of a method 100 for managing one or more UEs is shown, each UE having a primary receiver 40 and an auxiliary receiver 50. Method 100 begins with the primary receiver in its low-power mode (step 110). The low-power mode can be off (no power consumption) or consume only enough power to maintain minimal functionality (e.g., monitoring signals to turn it on, powering it on, or switching to a higher power mode). The auxiliary receiver is measuring the signal strength from the serving base station 30 (step 120). In step 130, at some point, the signal from the serving base station 30 drops below a first threshold and is detected. This could be due to many different reasons, including the UE 20 moving to a location with lower reception quality. In step 140, the primary receiver switches from its low-power mode to a high-power mode in which it can receive signals from the base station. This can be triggered by the auxiliary receiver 50 (trigger 25) or by using another message or internal switch. In step 150, the primary receiver begins measuring the signal level from the serving base station 30, instead of (or also) measuring the signal level from the auxiliary receiver 50. Therefore, Figure 3 A method 100 for operating and managing user equipment is shown at a higher level.

[0050] Figure 4 A flowchart of an enhanced method 100' for managing user equipment is shown. Figure 4 The similar steps shown are the same as Figure 3 The steps have the same reference numerals. However, Figure 4 Method 100' includes additional steps to enhance the method.

[0051] Continuing from step 150, in step 160, method 100' continues to a situation where the signal from the serving base station drops below a second threshold. This may occur because the UE is moving away from the center of the cell served by serving base station 30 or for other reasons. Dropping below this second threshold (as measured by the UE's primary receiver) causes the primary receiver to begin measuring signal levels from one or more neighboring base stations. The primary receiver may continue measuring signal levels from the serving base station simultaneously, or may only measure signal levels from one or more neighboring base stations. In either case, the measurements of neighboring base stations performed by the primary receiver during step 170 are performed in relaxation mode. Fewer system resources are used during relaxation mode compared to when measurements are obtained in normal mode. For example, the intervals between measurements may be longer in relaxation mode than in normal mode. In the example implementation, monitoring of reselection criteria begins simultaneously with monitoring signals from one or more neighboring base stations. This is not shown in this simplified flowchart.

[0052] In step 180, the signal level from the neighboring base station may drop below another third threshold. Again, this could be for various reasons. However, in step 190, this causes the measurements performed by the main receiver 40 to switch from relaxation mode to normal mode, as this may indicate the need to begin a reselection process. Again, when the main receiver 40 is in both relaxation and normal modes, it can simultaneously measure the signal level from the serving base station. In a separate embodiment, the main receiver 40 may begin measurements from the serving base station in relaxation mode at step 150, and when these signals drop below a threshold (e.g., a second threshold), this could cause the mode to switch from relaxation mode to normal mode (i.e., before any measurements of signals from neighboring base stations begin).

[0053] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 The described method illustrates how UE 20 manages the process in which the received signal strength measured by the primary and secondary receivers of UE 20 drops below first, second, and third thresholds, and the resulting measurements performed after this occurs. However, in practice, the received signal strength may rise or fall in certain situations. Furthermore, even after the received signal strength, as detected by the receiver, drops below a certain threshold, it may later rise above that threshold. If this occurs, the actions taken when the signal strength drops below these thresholds may be reversed when it returns above them. For example, when the primary receiver 40 has switched from its low-power mode to a high-power mode and is measuring the signal strength from the serving base station 30, if the signal strength exceeds the first threshold, the primary receiver 40 can switch from high-power mode to low-power mode, and the secondary receiver 50 can take over measuring the signal strength from the serving base station 30. This process can be repeated. Furthermore, when the primary receiver is measuring the signal strength from neighboring base stations and / or the serving base station in relaxed mode, and the signal strength falls below the second threshold and proceeds to step 170, if the signal strength received and measured by the primary receiver from the serving base station rises back above the second threshold, the measurement from the neighboring base station can be paused. However, when signal strength varies around a specific threshold, the handover process may repeat itself. To avoid this, a certain level of hysteresis can be provided within the thresholds, resulting in two thresholds instead of a single threshold. For example, a fourth threshold could be defined as just above the first threshold (e.g., by 1 to 3 dB) so that the primary receiver 40 switches to low-power mode and the second receiver 40 resumes measurement of the signal level from the serving base station, at which point the signal strength must rise above the first threshold and reach the fourth threshold. This avoids oscillations around a single threshold.

[0054] Figure 5A further enhanced method 200 is shown, illustrating how UE 20 utilizes additional defined thresholds to manage such situations. Again, similar steps use the same reference numerals as those shown in the previous figures.

[0055] Step 210 illustrates how the signal received from the serving base station is continuously monitored, as measured by the auxiliary receiver 50. If it drops below a first threshold, the main receiver powers on and takes over the measurement (steps 140 and 150). During this phase, the second and fourth thresholds are continuously monitored in steps 230 and 220, respectively. If the signal strength rises above the fourth threshold, the method returns to step 110, where in step 120, the main receiver 40 switches to a low-power mode and the auxiliary receiver 50 takes over the measurement of the serving base station. In step 170, if the signal strength drops below the second threshold, the main receiver 40 begins measuring the signal received from the neighboring base station and / or the serving base station in a relaxed mode, as described in the preceding figures. After step 170, the third and fifth thresholds are monitored in steps 240 and 250, respectively. If the signal rises above the fifth threshold, method 200 returns to step 150 where the main receiver 40 measures only the signal from the serving base station. If the signal received from a neighboring base station, as measured in relaxation mode, drops below a third threshold (step 240), the main receiver 40 can then switch to measuring the signals of the neighboring base station and / or serving base station in normal mode as described in step 190. Alternatively, a sixth threshold (not shown in the figure) may exist; if this threshold is exceeded, the main receiver 40 switches back to measurement in relaxation mode.

[0056] When in idle mode, UE 20 performs two main types of actions: 1. Begin measuring the target base station. This can include three separate scenarios: • Within the frequency range; • Higher priority frequency / RAT intervals; and • Lower priority frequency intervals / RAT intervals.

[0057] 2. If the serving cell satisfies Srxlev>S IntraSearchP And Squal>S IntroSearchQ If the frequency is within the specified range, this specification allows UE20 to perform in-frequency measurements. Otherwise, the UE should perform in-frequency measurements. However, these measurements can be performed in either relaxation mode or normal mode, with measurements occurring less frequently in relaxation mode.

[0058] S intraSearchP It can be between 0-62dB, where Srxlev is Srxlev=Qrxlevmeas-(Qrxlevmin+Qrxlevminoffset)-Pcompensation-Qoffsetmp For simplicity, we can assume that Qrxlevminoffset, Pcompensation, and Qoffsettemp are all 0. Under these conditions, UE 20 can begin measuring the target if the following condition is met: Srxlev = Qrxlevmeas - Qrxlevmin, where Qrxlevmin is between -44 and -140 dB.

[0059] For example: With SintraSearch set to 20 dB and Qrxlevmin at -110 dBm, UE 20 can begin in-frequency measurements if Qrxlevmeas (in dBm) satisfies Qrxlevmeas - (-110 dBm) > 20 dB. UE 20 satisfies the conditions in this example until the base station signal becomes less than or equal to -89 dBm.

[0060] The aforementioned thresholds can be sent using NR in different system information messages. (Qrxlevmin and S) intraSearchP It can be found in SIB2 (NR 38.331). See the table below: cellReselectionServingFreqInfo SEQUENCE { s-NonIntraSearchP ReselectionThreshold OPTIONAL, -- Need S s-NonIntraSearchQ ReselectionThresholdQ OPTIONAL, -- Need S threshServingLowP ReselectionThreshold, threshServingLowQ ReselectionThresholdQ OPTIONAL, -- Need R cellReselectionPriority CellReselectionPriority, cellReselectionSubPriority CellReselectionSubPriority OPTIONAL,-- Need R ... }, intraFreqCellReselectionInfo SEQUENCE { q-RxLevMin Q-RxLevMin, q-RxLevMinSUL Q-RxLevMin OPTIONAL, -- Need R q-QualMin Q-QualMin OPTIONAL, -- Need S s-IntraSearchP ReselectionThreshold, s-IntraSearchQ ReselectionThresholdQ OPTIONAL, -- Need S t-ReselectionNR T-Reselection, In LTE, similar information can be included in other SIBs.

[0061] UE 20 can begin performing normal intra-frequency measurements as described in Chapter 4.2.2.3 of 38.133. This can also depend on several factors, such as, for example, the configured DRX cycle (see Table 4.2.2.3-1 in Chapter 38.133).

[0062] As an alternative to the above description, UE 20 can initiate relaxation measurements as described in Chapter 4.2.2.9 of 38.133, and thus perform measurements under relaxation conditions using a relaxation factor "k" according to Tables 4.2.2.9.2-1 and / or 4.2.2.9.3-1. These need to be configured in SIB2 for applying relaxation measurements, as shown in the table below. The corresponding conditions described in Chapter 5.2.4.9 of 38.304 need to be met.

[0063] relaxedMeasurement-r16 SEQUENCE { lowMobilityEvaluation-r16 SEQUENCE { s-SearchDeltaP-r16 ENUMERATED { dB3, dB6, dB9, dB12, dB15 spare3, spare2, spare1}, t-SearchDeltaP-r16 ENUMERATED { s5, s10, s20, s30, s60, s120, s180, s240, s300, spare7, spare6, spare5, spare4, spare3, spare2, spare1} } OPTIONAL, --Need R cellEdgeEvaluation-r16 SEQUENCE { s-SearchThresholdP-r16 ReselectionThreshold, s-SearchThresholdQ-r16 ReselectionThresholdQ OPTIONAL,--Need R } OPTIONAL, --Need R combineRelaxedMeasCondition-r16 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL,--Need R highPriorityMeasRelax-r16 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL, --Need R }, OPTIONAL, --Need R ]], [[ cellEquivalentSize-r17 INTEGER(2..16) OPTIONAL, -- Cond HSDN relaxedMeasurement-r17 SEQUENCE { stationaryMobilityEvaluation-r17 SEQUENCE { s-SearchDeltaP-Stationary-r17 ENUMERATED {dB2, dB3, dB6,dB9, dB12, dB15, spare2, spare1}, t-SearchDeltaP-Stationary-r17 ENUMERATED {s5, s10, s20,s30, s60, s120, s180, s240, s300, spare7, spare6, spare5, spare4, spare3,spare2, spare1} }, cellEdgeEvaluationWhileStationary-r17 SEQUENCE { s-SearchThresholdP2-r17 ReselectionThreshold, s-SearchThresholdQ2-r17 ReselectionThresholdQ OPTIONAL, --Need R } OPTIONAL, --Need R combineRelaxedMeasCondition2-r17 ENUMERATED {true} OPTIONAL, --Need R } OPTIONAL, --Need R ]] Generally, relaxation measurements should be performed when the UE 20 has good coverage and is stationary or moving slowly.

[0064] UE 20 may perform (base station) reselection when the following criteria are met (see 5.2.4.6): In-frequency and inter-frequency cell reselection criteria The ranking criteria Rs for the service cell and the ranking criteria Rn for neighboring cells are defined as follows: R s = Q meas,s + Q hyst - Qoffset temp R n = Q meas,n - Qoffset - Qoffset temp in: in: Q meas RSRP measurement quality for cell reselection.

[0065] Qoffset for intra-frame frequencies: if Qoffset s,n Effective, equal to Qoffset s,n Otherwise, it equals 0.

[0066] For frequencies: equal to Qoffset s,n Add Qoffset frequency If Qoffset s,n Valid; otherwise equal to Qoffset frequency.

[0067] Qoffsettemp is temporarily applied to the offset of cells specified in TS 38.331[3].

[0068] If Qoffset and Qoffsettemp are set to 0, then neighboring cells should be at least Qhyst better than the source cell. Assuming Qhyst is, for example, 4dB and UE 20 starts measuring neighbors at a source cell level of -89dBm, if the signal becomes better than -85dBm, it will reselect to another cell.

[0069] Figure 6 The middle figure illustrates this example, showing the signal level (700) when reselection occurs and the signal level (800) when in-frequency measurement occurs.

[0070] As previously mentioned, these measurements may be unreliable when using an auxiliary receiver (LP-WUR 50) with lower receiver sensitivity. However, it has been determined that there are signal levels present when such low-accuracy readings are sufficient to manage the UE20 in disconnected mode. For example, when the UE20 is near the cell center and receives a high signal level, even the low receiver sensitivity available from the auxiliary receiver 50 is sufficient. Moreover, this provides power efficiency savings without adversely affecting the management of the UE20.

[0071] In the example implementation, the frequency measurement can be performed by the auxiliary receiver 50 as follows: 1. The UE (primary receiver 40) will receive, for example, information related to in-frequency measurements obtained using the secondary receiver 50 via SIB2. This can be provided, for example, as Srxlev > SintraSearch_L_WUR. As long as this condition is met, the primary receiver 40 does not perform serving cell measurements at all and can be powered down or switched to low-power mode. For example: SintraSearch_L_WUR = 30 dB; srxlevmin = -110 dBm. Other values ​​can be used. As long as the signal received from the serving cell as measured by the secondary receiver 50 (LP-WUR) is better than or greater than -79 dBm, no action is required for other necessary measurements, and the primary receiver can remain powered down or in low-power (non-receive) mode.

[0072] 2. If the first threshold is reached (i.e., the signal drops below this level), and the auxiliary receiver 50 detects at this time that the serving cell is providing the worst signal, -79dBm, it will notify the primary receiver to begin serving cell signal measurement. The auxiliary receiver 50 may send a message to the primary receiver to power on or move to a higher power mode so that it can begin receiving and performing measurements (e.g., using trigger 25).

[0073] 3. Once the main receiver 40 begins measurement, it can initially be configured for relaxed measurement, and after reaching a specific (e.g., a second) threshold, it can begin performing normal measurement.

[0074] The process is illustrated as follows: Figure 7 The timeline is shown in the figure. In a further implementation, the frequency measurement can also be performed by the auxiliary receiver 50.

[0075] For simplicity, Figure 7 The timeline shows the linear progression of signal degradation (i.e. Figure 4 Method 100). At point 810, the signal received from the serving base station 30 drops below a first threshold (e.g., -79 dB). Above the line at -79 dB (in this example), the primary receiver 40 is powered off, switched off, or in its low-power mode, and the secondary receiver (LP-WUR) 50 performs a serving cell signal power measurement. Below the line at -79 dB (in this example), the primary receiver 40 is powered on, switched on, or in its higher-power mode, and the secondary receiver (LP-WUR) 50 may be powered off. The primary or main receiver 40 is turned on. At point 820, the signal drops below a second threshold (e.g., -85 dB), and a relaxation measurement (from the signal from the serving and / or neighboring base stations) is performed. At point 830, when the signal drops below a third threshold (e.g., -89 dB in this example), the measurement is obtained in normal mode (from the primary receiver 40). In this example implementation (and other variations described), a reselection process can occur whenever the reselection criteria are met (e.g., if the signal measured from a neighboring or target base station is greater than -85 dB and / or there is a sufficient difference in signal level), determining at UE 20 whether to move to a different base station and / or use a different cellular technology. This can happen at any time, or when the signal measured from one or both of the serving base station and / or neighboring base stations drops below a second threshold. Figure 7 (As shown by the dashed line and the horizontal solid line in the image) This occurs afterward. Figure 8 These events are graphically represented as concentric event circles.

[0076] The auxiliary receiver 50 is a simplified receiver with a limited number of architectural receiver components, consuming less power at the expense of sensitivity compared to the main receiver. The example provided above describes an intra-frequency measurement. However, the same principle can be applied to inter-frequency / inter-RAT cases with lower / higher priorities, where specific thresholds may differ from the intra-frequency example and may be distributed across other SIBs.

[0077] If the auxiliary receiver 50 does not support OFDM, it can measure other signals (from the serving base station or neighboring base stations) that can be measured using different, but appropriate, techniques.

[0078] Any method described can be executed by a computer system. For example... Figure 9 As shown, the computer system 300 includes a number of components, including a communication interface 320, a system circuitry 330, an input / output (I / O) circuitry 340, a display circuitry, an interface 350, and a data storage 370. The system circuitry 320 may include one or more processors or CPUs 380 and memory 390. The system circuitry 330 may include any combination of hardware, software, firmware, and / or other circuitry. The system circuitry 330 may be implemented using one or more system-on-a-chip (SoC), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), microprocessor, and / or analog and digital circuitry.

[0079] The display circuitry system can provide one or more graphical user interfaces (GUIs) 360, and the I / O interface circuitry system 340 can include touch-sensitive or non-touch displays, sound, voice or other recognition inputs, buttons, switches, speakers, sound generators, and other user interface elements. The I / O interface circuitry system 340 can include microphones, cameras, headphones, and microphone input / output connectors, universal serial bus (USB) connectors, and SD or other memory card slots. The I / O interface circuitry system 340 may further include data media interfaces (such as CD-ROM or DVD drives) and other bus and display interfaces.

[0080] Memory 390 may include volatile (RAM) or non-volatile memory (such as ROM or flash memory). Memory may store the operating system 392, application programs or software 394, dynamic data 396, and / or static data 398 of the computer system 300. For example, a data repository or data source 370 may include one or more databases 372, 374, and / or file repositories or file systems.

[0081] This method and system can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of both. It can be implemented as a server comprising a single computer system, or as a distributed network of servers connected across a network. Any type of computer system or other electronic device can be used to perform the described method.

[0082] When used throughout this document, including in the claims, the singular form of a term shall be interpreted to include the plural form, and vice versa, unless the context otherwise requires. For example, unless the context otherwise requires, a single reference included in the claims, such as “a” or “an” (e.g., an ion multipolar device), means “one or more” (e.g., one or more ion multipolar devices). Throughout the specification and claims of this disclosure, words such as “comprising,” “having,” and “containing,” as well as variations of these words, such as “comprising (participle form)” and “comprising (third person singular form)” or similar words, mean “including but not limited to” and are not intended to exclude other components. Furthermore, the use of “or” is inclusive, such that the phrase “A or B” is true when “A” is true, “B” is true, or both “A” and “B” are true.

[0083] The use of any and all examples or exemplary language (“e.g.,” “such as,” “for example,” and similar language) provided herein is intended merely to better illustrate this disclosure and does not imply any limitation on the scope of this disclosure unless otherwise required. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating that any unclaimed element is essential to the practice of this disclosure.

[0084] The terms "first" and "second" may be reversed without altering the scope of this disclosure. That is, an element referred to as a "first" element may be renamed a "second" element, and an element referred to as a "second" element may be renamed a "first" element.

[0085] Unless otherwise stated or required by the context, any steps described in this specification may be performed in any order or simultaneously. Furthermore, the description of a step as performed after another step does not preclude the performance of intermediate steps.

[0086] It should also be understood that, for any given component or embodiment described throughout, any possible candidates or alternatives listed for that component may generally be used alone or in combination with each other, unless implied or expressly understood or otherwise stated. It should be understood that any list of such candidates or alternatives is illustrative only and not restrictive, unless implied or expressly understood or otherwise stated.

[0087] Unless otherwise described, all technical and scientific terms used throughout this document have the meanings commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the various embodiments described herein pertain.

[0088] Those skilled in the art will understand that the details of the above embodiments may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0089] For example, although the use of this method has been described with reference to the UE, other devices can also be used. A telecommunications system may contain many devices or UEs, as well as many base stations or gNBs. This method has been described with reference to paging messages, but other messages can be used.

[0090] The signals measured by either or both of the primary and secondary receivers can include: Frequency Shift Keying (FSK), On / Off Keying (OOK), and / or Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) signals. While the examples provided above pertain to telecommunications systems and UEs, the concept can be applied to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth systems with similar benefits.

[0091] Many combinations, modifications, or alterations of the features of the above embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and are intended to form part of this invention. Any feature specifically described in relation to an embodiment or example may be used in any other embodiment by making appropriate changes.

Claims

1. A method for managing a user equipment (UE), the UE having a primary receiver and a secondary receiver, the method comprising the following steps: The UE uses an auxiliary receiver to measure the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station; and When the measured signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station drops to a first threshold: The auxiliary receiver enables the main receiver to switch from a lower power mode to a higher power mode; and The UE's primary receiver, rather than the secondary receiver, measures the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary receiver has a lower signal measurement sensitivity than the main receiver, and / or the auxiliary receiver consumes less power than the main receiver when performing signal measurements.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising the following steps: When the signal strength of the signal from the serving base station measured by the main receiver drops to the second threshold, the main receiver measures the signal strength of the signal received from the base station adjacent to the serving base station, instead of measuring the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the main receiver measures the signal strength of signals from the serving base station and / or neighboring base stations in a relaxed mode.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the following steps: When the signal strength of the signal from the neighboring base station and / or the serving base station measured by the main receiver drops to the third threshold, the main receiver measures the signal strength of the signal from the neighboring base station and / or the serving base station in normal mode instead of relaxed mode.

6. The method of any of the preceding claims further comprises the following steps: When one or more cell reselection criteria are met, a base station reselection process is initiated.

7. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the method operates with the UE in a non-connected mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the non-connected mode is an idle mode or a deactivated mode.

9. The method of any of the preceding claims further comprises the following steps: When the signal strength of the signal from the serving base station measured by the main receiver rises above the fourth threshold: The UE's secondary receiver, rather than the primary receiver, measures the signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station; and The main receiver switches to a lower power mode.

10. The method of any of the preceding claims, wherein the signal measurement is an intra-frequency or inter-frequency signal strength measurement.

11. A user equipment (UE), comprising: Main receiver; The auxiliary receiver consumes less power than the main receiver when receiving signals and measuring the strength of received signals. and One or more processors and a storage device for one or more stored instructions, the instructions being operable, when executed by one or more computers, to cause one or more processors to perform the following steps: The signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station is measured by the auxiliary receiver; When the measured signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station drops to a first threshold: Switch the main receiver from a lower power mode to a higher power mode; and The signal strength of the signal received from the serving base station is measured using the UE's primary receiver instead of the UE's secondary receiver.

12. The UE of claim 11, wherein the auxiliary receiver is configured to receive a wake-up signal from the base station and, in response, issue a command to the primary receiver to switch from a second power mode to a first power mode, wherein the primary receiver consumes more power in the first power mode compared to when in the second power mode.

13. A telecommunications system, comprising: The UE of claim 11 or 12; and One or more base stations.

14. The telecommunications system of claim 13, configured to operate using LTE, 5G and / or 6G technologies.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing software, the software including instructions executable by one or more computers, the instructions causing the one or more computers to perform the method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 when executed.

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