Bandwidth Part Timer Management During Random Access Procedures
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Solution Overview
Problem
In wireless communication systems, user equipment (UE) faces challenges in handling bandwidth part (BWP) timers during Random Access (RA) procedures, leading to potential power wastage and uncertainty in timer management when receiving physical downlink control channels (PDCCH) indicating BWP switching or assignment.
Innovation Solution
The method involves starting and stopping the BWP timer based on specific configurations and events, such as receiving a PDCCH indicating a DL assignment or switching, and only restarting the timer upon successful completion of the RA procedure, while avoiding timer restart during ongoing RA processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE stops the BWP timer when initiating an RA procedure, then the timer will not expire during the RA procedure, but the UE cannot perform BWP switching and power is wasted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the timer state changeable based on RA procedure status. The timer is stopped when RA procedure is initiated and restarted when RA procedure is successfully completed, allowing the system to adapt timer behavior dynamically to current operational state, thereby enabling BWP switching when appropriate while preventing power wastage during RA procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback by monitoring the RA procedure completion status and using this information to restart the timer. The MAC entity checks whether the RA procedure is successfully performed and restarts the timer accordingly, creating a closed-loop control mechanism that ensures proper timer handling and enables power-efficient BWP switching
2Loss of energy
If the UE stops the BWP timer when initiating an RA procedure, then power is saved during RA, but the UE cannot switch BWP even when PDCCH indicates switching is available
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the timer behavior dynamic by stopping it during RA procedure initiation and restarting it upon successful completion. This dynamic state change allows the UE to maintain power savings during RA while regaining BWP switching capability when the RA procedure completes, thus adapting to different operational phases
Solution Approach 2:
The patent ensures continuity of useful action by maintaining the timer in a stopped state during RA procedure (when BWP switching is not needed) and restarting it when RA completes (when BWP switching becomes possible again). This continuous management of timer state ensures the system is always ready for appropriate operations without wasting power
3Ease of operation
If the UE starts the timer when receiving PDCCH indicating DL assignment for RA message, then the timer is active, but it is unknown how to handle the timer during ongoing RA procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses feedback from the RA procedure completion status to determine timer restart action. The MAC entity receives feedback about whether the RA procedure is successfully performed and uses this information to restart the timer accordingly, providing clear and reliable timer handling guidance during ongoing RA procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by stopping the timer in advance when RA procedure is initiated, before any PDCCH indicating BWP switching is received during the RA procedure. This preliminary timer stop prevents ambiguity about timer handling during RA and establishes clear behavior expectations
Data Source
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AI summary
A communication device receiving a configuration for a timer; starting the timer in response to the configuration, when receiving a physical downlink (DL) control channel (PDCCH) indicating at least one of a first DL assignment and a switching of the BWP; initiating a random access (RA) procedure and stopping the timer; and starting the timer, when obtaining that the RA procedure is successfully performed.