DRX Cycle Management for Beam Alignment Power Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
In high-frequency wireless communication systems using directional beamforming, the existing Discontinuous Reception (DRX) technology leads to power consumption issues due to frequent beam training and reporting, which can result in communication failures when the user equipment (UE) and base station beams become mismatched during the sleep period, especially with multiple beams involved.
Innovation Solution
A more flexible DRX cycle management method is implemented, where the UE performs beam measurement and reporting only when necessary, using a data indication signal to determine if data is available, and prioritizing the original serving beam pair to reduce power consumption and overheads, with the beam measurement cycle being longer than the DRX cycle to minimize unnecessary measurements and reporting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the UE performs beam measurement and reporting frequently to maintain beam alignment in high-frequency directional communication, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic beam measurement and reporting only during specific active periods rather than continuously. The UE performs beam measurements during on-duration or when data indication signals are received, and enters sleep mode otherwise, creating a periodic measurement pattern that reduces power consumption while maintaining communication reliability through timely beam alignment updates.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts beam measurement and reporting parameters based on system conditions. The network can configure different measurement periods, reporting thresholds, and active durations, allowing the system to optimize between reliability and power consumption by changing these parameters according to traffic patterns and channel conditions.
2Reliability
If the UE performs beam measurement and reporting in every DRX cycle to ensure beam alignment, then communication stability is improved, but system overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts beam measurement and reporting operations from every DRX cycle and performs them only when necessary - specifically during on-duration or when data indication signals are received. This selective extraction of measurement operations reduces system overhead by eliminating redundant beam training and reporting in sleep periods while maintaining communication stability when actually needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by performing beam measurements only during specific portions of the DRX cycle (on-duration or data indication periods) rather than complete measurements in every cycle. This partial measurement approach reduces overhead while providing sufficient beam alignment information for stable communication during active periods.
3Use of energy by moving object
If the UE enters sleep state for extended periods to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but beam mismatch occurs due to displacement or direction rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs beam measurements and updates beam information during on-duration or when data indication signals are received, before the UE enters sleep mode. This preliminary beam alignment action ensures that the UE has current beam information when waking from sleep, preventing beam mismatch caused by displacement or direction rotation during the sleep period.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the UE reports beam measurement results to the network, and the network provides data indication signals to trigger beam updates. This feedback loop ensures that beam alignment is maintained by continuously monitoring and updating beam information based on actual channel conditions, even when the UE is in sleep mode for extended periods.
Data Source
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AI summary
This application relates to the field of mobile communications, and in particular, to a discontinuous reception (Discontinuous Reception, DRX for short) technology in a wireless communications system. In a wireless communication method provided in this application, a terminal device (UE) receives, in a discontinuous reception (DRX) cycle, a downlink control signal sent by a radio access network device; parses the downlink control signal; and if the downlink control signal fails to be parsed, measures wireless communication quality of a first beam pair, and determines, based on a measurement result, whether to continuously measure another beam pair, to determine a target beam. According to the solutions provided in this application, beam training and reporting of requested radio resources can be effectively reduced, and power consumption of the UE is reduced.