5G Beam Group DRX Configuration for Power Saving
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless radio access technologies do not effectively implement discontinuous reception (DRX) considering antenna beam groupings, which limits power saving efficiencies in 5G systems utilizing massive MIMO and millimeter-wave frequencies.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a sweeping subframe with beamforming that allows different antenna beam groups to be activated during specific time blocks, enabling the UE to report best beam matches and configure DRX cycles for each group, allowing for power savings and improved reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a single DRX configuration is used for all beam groups, then device complexity is reduced, but power saving efficiency deteriorates because the UE cannot optimize reception timing for each beam group individually
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single DRX configuration into multiple beam group-specific DRX configurations. Each beam group (e.g., first beam group with beams 1-4, second beam group with beams 5-8) is assigned its own DRX configuration parameters including separate ON durations and OFF durations. This segmentation allows the UE to independently optimize power saving for each beam group based on their different traffic patterns and coverage requirements, resolving the contradiction between power saving efficiency and configuration complexity.
2Reliability
If the UE monitors all beam groups continuously, then connection reliability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic DRX cycles for each beam group, where the UE alternates between ON periods (monitoring for downlink signals) and OFF periods (sleep mode). During ON periods, the UE monitors PDCCH and receives PDSCH for the corresponding beam group. During OFF periods, the UE shuts down reception processes to save power. This periodic monitoring approach maintains connection reliability by ensuring timely detection of downlink assignments while significantly reducing energy consumption compared to continuous monitoring, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and energy consumption.
3Area of stationary object
If beamforming is used to compensate path loss at higher frequencies, then cell coverage is improved, but the need for multiple antenna elements increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines digital baseband precoding with analog beamforming in a hybrid architecture. The digital precoding layer processes signals for multiple streams and users, while the analog beamforming layer (using phase shifters and attenuators) provides spatial directionality. This merging of digital and analog processing techniques achieves the cell coverage enhancement needed for millimeter-wave frequencies while reducing the effective complexity by leveraging the strengths of both architectures - digital flexibility and analog focus - rather than requiring purely digital processing of hundreds of antenna elements.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
To better support beamforming in MIMO systems such as 5G, a first match is determined between a first transmit (TX) beam group of a radio network and a first receive (RX) beam group of a user equipment (UE); and also a second match is determined between a second TX beam group of the radio network and a second RX beam group of the UE. For example these matches can come from the UE's beam report with best match information. The network configures the UE with at least a first discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration associated with the first RX beam group and with a second DRX configuration associated with the second RX beam group. In this case the first and second DRX configurations are active simultaneously for the UE, and each said beam group comprises at least one antenna or antenna port.