BWP Switching Timer for Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in communication systems is to maintain communication performance while managing high power consumption in terminal devices that support multiple active bandwidth parts (BWPs).
Innovation Solution
A method where a terminal device starts or restarts a timer associated with active BWPs and switches to a default or initial downlink BWP when the timer expires, effectively controlling power consumption and maintaining communication continuity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple active BWPs are supported to improve throughput rate and reduce time delay, then communication performance is improved, but power consumption of the terminal device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic BWP switching where the terminal device can flexibly switch between multiple active BWPs and a default BWP based on communication needs. The network device configures multiple BWPs with different bandwidths, and the terminal activates appropriate BWPs dynamically, allowing the system to adapt between high performance (multiple active BWPs) and low power consumption (single default BWP) states
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a BWP inactivity timer that periodically monitors BWP usage. When the timer expires without detecting BWP switching commands, the terminal automatically switches from multiple active BWPs to a default BWP, creating a periodic pattern of high-performance operation followed by power-saving operation, thus resolving the contradiction between continuous high throughput and power consumption
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple active BWPs are supported to improve utilization rate of BWP, then resource utilization is improved, but power consumption of the terminal device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts BWP configuration based on actual communication requirements. The network device can configure multiple BWPs with different characteristics, and the terminal switches between them based on data traffic patterns, ensuring high BWP utilization only when needed while conserving power during low-activity periods
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the power-consuming aspect (maintaining multiple active BWPs) as a conditional state rather than a permanent state. By using the inactivity timer to trigger switching to a default BWP, the system separates the high-utilization state from continuous operation, allowing high BWP utilization rate only when communication activity is detected
3Use of energy by moving object
If the terminal device switches from multiple active BWPs to a default BWP to reduce power consumption, then power consumption is reduced, but communication performance may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The network device pre-configures multiple BWPs including a default BWP before communication begins. When the inactivity timer expires, the terminal can immediately switch to the pre-configured default BWP without delay, ensuring communication continuity is maintained while reducing power consumption. The preliminary configuration eliminates potential performance degradation that would occur with BWP reconfiguration delays
Data Source
AI summary
A method of bandwidth part (BWP) switching and related apparatus are disclosed in embodiments of the disclosure. The method includes the following. A terminal device starts/restarts a timer associated with multiple active BWPs in a cell when any active BWP of the multiple active BWPs satisfies a starting/restarting condition of the timer. The terminal device switches from the multiple active BWPs to a default downlink BWP or an initial downlink BWP when the timer expires.