Discontinuous Reception Cycle Adaptation for Mobile Station Power Management

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communication networks, such as LTE, lack the ability for mobile stations to dynamically update their battery status and Quality of Service (QoS) to the primary station, leading to inefficient power management and suboptimal discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles, which affects battery life and responsiveness.

Innovation Solution

A method where the secondary station can request and indicate its current status, including battery level and desired DRX parameters, to the primary station, allowing for dynamic adjustment of DRX cycles to match its conditions, thereby optimizing power consumption and responsiveness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the fixed station imposes a preset reception schedule on mobile stations, then energy consumption is reduced through discontinuous reception, but the mobile station cannot adapt to dynamic battery status and QoS requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidadaptability to battery status
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic DRX cycle adjustment by allowing mobile stations to signal their battery status and QoS requirements to the fixed station, which then adapts the reception schedule in real-time. The DRX cycle duration is no longer static but dynamically modified based on mobile station feedback, enabling the system to transition from a fixed preset schedule to a flexible adaptive schedule that responds to changing battery conditions and service requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a feedback mechanism where mobile stations periodically signal their battery status and QoS requirements to the fixed station. This feedback loop enables the fixed station to make informed decisions about DRX cycle configuration, adjusting the reception schedule based on actual mobile station conditions rather than relying on predetermined static configurations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the mobile station monitors all system control messages, then all relevant information is received, but energy consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation reception completenessVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by having mobile stations monitor only a fraction of system control messages based on their specific needs and battery status. Instead of requiring monitoring of all messages, the system allows mobile stations to selectively monitor only relevant messages, with the fixed station transmitting multiple pointers to updated information so that mobile stations can choose to receive further transmissions only when necessary.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Use of energy by moving object

If the DRX cycle is extended to save battery power, then energy consumption is reduced, but responsiveness to incoming messages deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidresponsiveness to messages
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables dynamic adjustment of DRX cycle duration based on mobile station battery status and QoS requirements. When battery status is good or QoS requirements demand high responsiveness, the system uses shorter DRX cycles for faster wake-up and message reception. When battery status is low and power saving is prioritized, longer DRX cycles are applied. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to optimize between power consumption and responsiveness based on current conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP2446696B1Communication in a mobile network implementing discontinuous reception
Publication Date: 2019.10.02 KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS NV
  • EP2446696B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for operating a network comprising a primary station communicating with a plurality of secondary stations, the method comprising the primary station communicating with a secondary station in a discontinuous mode; the secondary station transmitting to the primary station a control message based on the current status of the secondary station; the primary station changing a parameter of the discontinuous mode based on the control message.