Cellular Measurement Offloading for Power-Constrained IoT UEs

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power management solutions for power-constrained wireless communication devices, such as IoT devices, do not effectively reduce energy consumption associated with 3GPP-mandated operations, leading to inefficient power usage and limited device lifespan, especially in scenarios with infrequent data transmission.

Innovation Solution

Offload cellular connection management measurements to a device with less constrained power resources, utilizing non-cellular connections like Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to delegate tasks such as RRM, paging, and cell search to a more powerful device, ensuring measurement compatibility and reducing unnecessary cellular operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If power-constrained devices perform mandatory 3GPP connection management operations (cell search, measurements, paging monitoring) to maintain network connectivity, then network reliability and communication availability are improved, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork connectivityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a relay device as an intermediary that performs connection management operations on behalf of the power-constrained UE. The relay device receives and processes network messages (paging, system information, RACH responses) and forwards them to the UE, allowing the UE to remain in idle mode while maintaining network connectivity through the intermediary's actions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If data offloading solutions are implemented to reduce cellular traffic, then bandwidth availability and reception quality are improved, but power consumption is not significantly reduced and security concerns arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebandwidth availabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The relay device acts as an intermediary that handles cellular communication tasks, allowing the power-constrained UE to offload connection management responsibilities without requiring full data offloading. This reduces power consumption while maintaining security since the UE remains authenticated with the network through the relay.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If power-constrained devices frequently wake up to perform measurements and monitoring, then network synchronization and paging reception are maintained, but battery lifespan is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork synchronizationVSAvoidbattery lifespan

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The relay device performs connection management operations in advance and caches results (system information, paging messages, measurement data) before the UE needs them. The UE can then wake up less frequently to retrieve pre-prepared information from the relay, reducing the frequency of wake-up cycles and extending battery lifespan while maintaining network synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12621773B2Power management for power-constrained devices

Publication Date: 2026.05.05 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

A method for power management of a first communication device, which has first power resources, comprises detecting a second communication device operating in a same area as the first communication device and having second power resources being less constrained than the first power resources. The method also comprises connecting to the second communication device over a non-cellular connection and delegating to the second communication device to perform cellular connection management measurements for the first communication device through cellular communication with a network node.