Adaptive SID Update Transmission for VoLTE Power Savings
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Solution Overview
Problem
Power consumption remains a challenge for user equipment (UE) when providing voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) services, particularly during periods of voice inactivity, as existing methods like Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) do not fully optimize energy savings while maintaining acceptable quality of service.
Innovation Solution
The UE employs adaptive transmission of SID frames, using comfort noise parameters to control the generation and transmission of SID_UPDATE frames, adjusting the averaging period and transmission frequency based on differences in weighted averages of comfort noise parameters to minimize power consumption without compromising quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If SID frames are transmitted periodically during voice inactivity periods, then the receiver can maintain acceptable quality of service through comfort noise generation, but power consumption increases due to continuous transmission operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the SID frame transmission adaptive rather than fixed. The transmission timing and frequency are dynamically adjusted based on changes in comfort noise parameters. When comfort noise characteristics remain stable, transmission is reduced or suspended. When significant changes are detected, transmission is triggered. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by maintaining quality of service only when necessary while minimizing power consumption during stable periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the transmission parameters (frequency, timing) based on the measured comfort noise parameters. Instead of using a fixed periodic transmission schedule, the system monitors comfort noise characteristics and adjusts transmission parameters accordingly. This parameter-based control allows the system to maintain acceptable quality of service when comfort noise changes significantly while avoiding unnecessary transmissions when parameters remain stable, thereby resolving the power consumption versus quality of service contradiction.
2Reliability
If SID frame transmission frequency is increased to maintain better comfort noise accuracy, then quality of service improves, but power consumption and transmission interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by continuously monitoring comfort noise parameters and using this information to control transmission decisions. The system measures comfort noise characteristics, compares them against thresholds or previous values, and adjusts transmission behavior based on the measured changes. This feedback mechanism ensures that transmissions occur only when comfort noise accuracy would benefit from updates, avoiding unnecessary energy loss from frequent transmissions when comfort noise remains stable.
3Reliability
If continuous transmission mode is used during voice calls, then complete voice information is transmitted without loss, but power consumption increases significantly during silent periods
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential information needed during silent periods - specifically comfort noise parameters - rather than transmitting complete voice information continuously. During voice activity, full voice packets are transmitted. During silent periods, only condensed comfort noise descriptors are sent when necessary. This extraction approach maintains voice information completeness during active speech while dramatically reducing power consumption during silent periods by transmitting only minimal essential data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies periodic action by using Discontinuous Transmission (DTX) mode where transmission occurs periodically only when necessary rather than continuously. The system switches between transmission and non-transmission states based on voice activity detection and comfort noise parameter changes. This periodic transmission pattern maintains voice information completeness during speech periods while reducing power consumption during silent periods, resolving the contradiction between information completeness and energy usage.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for reducing power consumption in a wireless device operating in a discontinuous transmission (DTX) mode while using a voice over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) service. The wireless device detects a period of voice inactivity and transmits one or more silence descriptor (SID_UPDATE) frames to a second wireless device in place of encoded speech frames. The SID_UPDATE frames are transmitted periodically based on measurements of comfort noise parameters. The wireless device determines a difference between weighted averages of comfort noise (CN) parameters of two sequences of encoded speech frames. When the difference exceeds a difference threshold, a SID_UPDATE frame is transmitted. Additionally, in some embodiments, a SID_UPDATE frame is transmitted when the weighted average of CN parameters exceeds a parameter threshold and/or when a time between SID_UPDATE frames or time elapsed after entering a silence state exceeds one or more time thresholds.