Beam-Specific Slot Combinations for Flexible Low-Power UE Scheduling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems lack efficient mechanisms for indicating beam-specific slot formats during channel occupancy time (COT) in unlicensed bands, leading to unnecessary power consumption and reduced scheduling flexibility due to the need for UEs to continuously monitor control channels.
Innovation Solution
Implementing beam-specific slot combinations using a first SFI element to indicate temporary slots or symbols, which can be overwritten by a second SFI element, allowing dynamic adjustment of slot formats based on network needs, thereby enhancing power savings and scheduling flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If UEs continuously monitor control channels to determine slot formats, then scheduling flexibility is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The network pre-configures slot format combinations and indicates them to UEs before the actual slot occurs. This allows UEs to know in advance which slot formats will be used, enabling them to enter sleep mode or reduce monitoring activity during known downlink or flexible slots, thereby reducing power consumption while maintaining scheduling flexibility through the pre-indicated combinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically selects from multiple pre-configured slot format combinations based on actual network conditions. The network can indicate different slot format combinations for different beams and different time periods, allowing flexible adaptation to changing traffic patterns and channel conditions while providing UEs with predictable slot formats to reduce power consumption.
2Device complexity
If a single slot format is used for all beams, then control overhead is reduced, but beam-specific scheduling flexibility is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The slot format indication is segmented by beam, with separate slot format combinations configured and indicated for each beam. This allows the network to optimize slot formats specifically for each beam's characteristics and traffic requirements while still using a structured, pre-configured approach that limits control overhead compared to fully dynamic per-slot indications.
Solution Approach 2:
The same slot format combination structure is universally applied across multiple beams, providing a consistent framework that reduces control overhead. Within this universal structure, beam-specific variations are allowed through different combinations, achieving both simplified control signaling and beam-specific flexibility.
3Use of energy by moving object
If slot formats are fixed in advance, then UE power consumption is reduced, but network scheduling flexibility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple pre-configured slot format combinations that can be dynamically selected and indicated by the network based on actual conditions. UEs receive indications of which combination to use, providing fixed formats for power savings while allowing the network to adapt to changing requirements by selecting from multiple pre-prepared options.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple slot format combinations are pre-configured in advance and stored in the UE. This preliminary preparation allows UEs to efficiently switch between different formats based on network indications without requiring complex real-time processing, reducing power consumption while maintaining the ability to adapt to different scheduling scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a method for UE of a wireless communication network, the method comprising: receiving, from a network element of the wireless communication network, a first SFI element of a first type indicating a beam specific slot combination for the UE, the slot combination comprising at least one temporary slot comprising at least one temporary symbol configured to be overwritable by a SFI element of a second type or another SFI element of the first type; and following a configured behavior during the at least one temporary symbol.