Carrier Aggregation SCell Power Management via Zero CQI
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Solution Overview
Problem
Carrier aggregation in user equipment (UE) leads to increased power consumption when the secondary serving cell (SCell) provides little to no benefit, outweighing the benefits of higher transmission rates, as the UE cannot independently deactivate the SCell.
Innovation Solution
The UE implicitly deactivates the SCell by transmitting a channel quality indicator (CQI) value of zero to the primary serving cell (PCell), terminating monitoring of the SCell, and entering a low power consumption state, while maintaining the appearance of enabled carrier aggregation to the network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If carrier aggregation functionality is enabled with SCell, then transmission rate is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic switching between carrier aggregation mode and non-carrier aggregation mode based on real-time evaluation of SCell performance metrics. The system transitions from a static enabled/disabled state to a dynamic adaptive state where carrier aggregation is activated only when SCell provides sufficient benefit, thereby optimizing the trade-off between transmission rate and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational state parameter of the SCell from a fixed enabled state to a variable state that can be switched between enabled and disabled. By monitoring performance parameters and switching the SCell state accordingly, the system achieves optimal power consumption while maintaining necessary transmission rates.
2Reliability
If SCell monitoring is continued, then network connectivity is maintained, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic evaluation of SCell performance metrics rather than continuous monitoring. The system assesses SCell performance at predetermined intervals and switches carrier aggregation mode based on these periodic assessments, reducing power consumption while maintaining adequate network connectivity through intermittent monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The user equipment autonomously evaluates SCell performance and makes independent decisions about whether to maintain or deactivate carrier aggregation without requiring continuous network control signals. This self-service approach allows the UE to optimize its own power consumption while maintaining necessary connectivity.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system, and method optimize a manner in which carrier aggregation (CA) is used. The apparatus comprises a transceiver and processor. The transceiver is used to establish a connection with a network including first and second network components used for a CA functionality. The processor implicitly deactivates the SCell while the CA functionality is enabled by the network by determining that the CA functionality is enabled by the network, determining that the SCell is one of out-of-service (OoS) and effectively OoS when the second network component is reachable by the apparatus and a connection parameter with the second network component is below a predetermined threshold, transmitting a channel quality indicator (CQI) value of zero for the SCell to the first network component to implicitly deactivate the SCell, and utilizing a low power consumption state where monitoring of the SCell is terminated.