Control Signaling for COT Period Monitoring in Unlicensed Spectrum
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Solution Overview
Problem
In unlicensed frequency spectrum transmission, devices face power consumption issues due to the need to periodically monitor for scheduling grants during channel occupancy time (COT) periods, even when they are not scheduled to transmit or receive, leading to unnecessary resource usage and power wastage.
Innovation Solution
Implementing control signalling that allows wireless devices to determine in advance whether they will be scheduled to transmit or receive during a COT period, enabling them to adapt their discontinuous reception (DRX) configuration and reduce monitoring frequency, thereby conserving power by entering a sleep state or using a longer DRX cycle when not scheduled.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a wireless device periodically monitors for scheduling grants throughout the entire COT period, then the device can detect scheduling opportunities, but power consumption increases unnecessarily when no scheduling is intended
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by sending control signalling at the beginning of the COT period to indicate whether the COT will be shared with other devices. This allows wireless devices to determine in advance whether they need to monitor for scheduling grants throughout the COT period, enabling them to enter sleep mode earlier and avoid unnecessary power consumption while still maintaining reliable scheduling detection when needed.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a wireless device enters sleep state during COT period without control signalling, then power consumption is reduced, but the device cannot detect scheduling opportunities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using control signalling to provide information from the transmitting device to receiving devices about COT sharing intentions. This feedback mechanism allows wireless devices to make informed decisions about whether to remain active or enter sleep state, ensuring they do not miss scheduling opportunities while optimizing power consumption based on actual network intentions.
3Use of energy by moving object
If control signalling is sent to indicate COT sharing, then devices can optimize power consumption, but additional signalling overhead is introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential information needed for power optimization by using compact control signalling that specifically indicates COT sharing intentions. Rather than transmitting comprehensive scheduling information, the control signalling extracts and transmits only the critical bit indicating whether the COT will be shared, reducing signalling overhead while still enabling devices to optimize their power consumption effectively.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless device (30) is configured for use in a wireless communication system (10). The wireless device (30) monitors for control signaling (28) indicating that the wireless device (30) will be scheduled to transmit or receive within a channel occupancy time, COT, period (20). The wireless device (30) determines, based on whether or not the control signaling (28) is received indicating that the wireless device (30) will be scheduled to transmit or receive within the COT period (20), how often or whether to monitor a dedicated control channel during the COT period (20) for a scheduling grant or assignment indicating scheduling of the wireless device (30) to transmit or receive. The wireless device (30) then monitors or does not monitor the dedicated control channel during the COT period (20) according to that determination.