DRX Buffer Status Reporting for Wireless Power and Data Trade-offs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing DRX management in LTE networks, as specified in 3GPP TS 36.321, faces challenges such as transmission errors, late or delayed buffer status reports, and scheduling delays, leading to data performance degradation and inefficient battery power consumption in user equipment (UEs).
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a data flush token and a configurable retransmission buffer status report timer in user devices, along with enhanced scheduling mechanisms at base stations, to expedite the reporting of uplink buffer status and improve synchronization between UEs and eNBs, thereby optimizing power consumption and data service performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If DRX is used to reduce power consumption by shutting down baseband and RF circuits during DRX OFF periods, then battery life is prolonged, but data performance degrades due to transmission errors, late BSR reception, and scheduling delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by triggering an irregular regular BSR in advance when the data flush token indicates potential buffer status changes, before the UE enters DRX OFF state. This ensures the eNB has up-to-date buffer status information prior to the DRX transition, preventing scheduling delays and performance degradation while maintaining power savings during the OFF period.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the UE enters DRX OFF state to save power, then battery life is extended, but synchronization between UE and eNB is lost leading to DRX mismatch
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback through the data flush token mechanism and irregular regular BSR triggering. The UE provides feedback about its buffer status to the eNB before entering DRX OFF state, enabling the eNB to maintain accurate scheduling information and synchronize with the UE's DRX pattern, thereby preventing DRX mismatch while preserving power savings.
3Measurement precision
If regular BSR reporting is used to inform eNB of uplink buffer status, then scheduling accuracy is improved, but transmission delays occur due to HARQ retransmissions and scheduling delays exceeding DRX ON period
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies skipping by implementing an irregular regular BSR that can be triggered immediately when the data flush token indicates buffer status changes, bypassing the conventional periodic BSR timing. This rushed reporting mechanism ensures timely buffer status notification to the eNB, reducing scheduling delays and ensuring they do not exceed the DRX ON period duration.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems and devices for improving discontinuous reception (DRX) in wireless telecommunication networks are disclosed. According to an embodiment, a retransmission buffer status report (BSR) timer is implemented in a user equipment (UE) as an attribute that is configurable for each logical channel of the UE. According to another embodiment, a data flush token is implemented as a logical channel attribute in a UE in order to expedite emptying of the UE's uplink buffer. According to another embodiment, improvements are provided to the manner in which a UE determines to cancel regular BSRs. According to other embodiments, features are implemented at a base station such as an E-UTRAN Node B (eNB) to improve downlink and uplink transmission scheduling between the base station and a UE. According to further embodiments, improved methods of detecting and handling late and delayed BSRs are implemented at a base station. The disclosed embodiments promote improved battery life of a UE as well as improved network data performance.