Adaptive Bandwidth Part Scheduling for Lower UE Power Use
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high power consumption of user equipment (UE) in connected mode due to handling large bandwidths and multiple connections in 5G NR systems is a challenge that existing technologies have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
Adaptive bandwidth utilization is achieved by scheduling a subsection of an active bandwidth part for UE operations, allowing devices to operate within a reduced bandwidth based on traffic conditions, buffer status, and time-based criteria, with network nodes dynamically adjusting bandwidth allocation without explicit reconfiguration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the UE is configured to handle large bandwidths in 5G NR systems, then the data transmission capacity is improved, but the power consumption of the UE increases
Solution Approach 1:
The active bandwidth part is divided into multiple subsections, and the UE is configured to monitor and operate only on a specific subsection rather than the entire bandwidth part. This segmentation allows the UE to handle large bandwidths when needed while reducing power consumption during normal operation by focusing on a smaller portion of the spectrum.
Solution Approach 2:
The network node dynamically adjusts the bandwidth subsection allocation to the UE based on traffic conditions, buffer status, and time-based criteria. The UE can be configured with different subsections of the active bandwidth part as needed, allowing flexible adaptation between high performance and low power consumption states without explicit reconfiguration of the entire bandwidth part.
2Reliability
If the UE monitors and uses the full configured bandwidth, then the communication performance is improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The UE performs monitoring and communication operations on only a partial subsection of the configured active bandwidth part rather than the full bandwidth. This partial action is sufficient for maintaining communication performance under normal traffic conditions while significantly reducing power consumption. The full bandwidth can be activated when higher performance is required.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the network configures the UE with multiple bandwidth parts and connections, then the system versatility is improved, but the UE complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bandwidth part configuration is segmented into multiple subsections, allowing the network to activate only the necessary portions for the UE. This reduces the effective complexity and power consumption while maintaining the versatility of having multiple bandwidth parts available for different service requirements and traffic conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
A network node (12) schedules a wireless communications device (14) to utilize a subsection (54) of a previously configured active bandwidth part (46). The wireless communications device (14) utilizes the subsection (54) for operations such as monitoring for control signaling from the network node (12), channel measurements, and/or for communication between the wireless communications device (14) and the network node (12) (e.g. uplink and/or downlink traffic). Accordingly, the wireless communications device (14) may reduce power consumption by not monitoring and/or using a wider bandwidth.