DRX Cycle Management for VoLTE Power and Delay Trade-offs

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing DRX technologies face challenges in balancing system performance and power consumption in user equipment (UE) for VoLTE services, as short DRX cycles improve response times but increase power consumption, while long cycles reduce power consumption but may lead to delayed paging and degraded system performance.

Innovation Solution

Configuring DRX cycles of different lengths based on the service type of the UE, such as voice or video services, where a shorter cycle is used for voice services to reduce delay and a longer cycle for non-voice services to conserve power, with the base station identifying service types through QCI bearers and parsing data packets to manage DRX effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If a short DRX cycle is used, then system performance and response time are improved, but power consumption of UE increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveresponse timeVSAvoidpower consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic DRX cycle adjustment by transitioning from a fixed DRX cycle to a variable DRX cycle that adapts based on service type. The base station determines service types (e.g., voice, video, data) and dynamically configures appropriate DRX cycle lengths, allowing the system to optimize between short cycles for responsive services and long cycles for power-saving scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the DRX cycle parameter based on service type identification. Different service types map to different DRX cycle configurations - for example, voice services may use shorter cycles while data services use longer cycles. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction by matching the DRX cycle length to the specific service requirements rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Use of energy by moving object

If a long DRX cycle is used, then power consumption of UE is reduced, but system performance deteriorates due to delayed paging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidpaging delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by tailoring the DRX cycle length to the specific service type being performed. Instead of using a uniform long DRX cycle for all services, the system configures shorter DRX cycles for services that require rapid response (like voice calls) and longer cycles for services that can tolerate delays (like background data synchronization). This localized optimization ensures that paging delay is minimized only when necessary while maintaining power savings elsewhere.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If DRX cycle is fixed, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different service types deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveDRX management complexityVSAvoidservice type adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the base station to automatically identify service types and select appropriate DRX cycle configurations without requiring complex UE-side decision-making. The network side performs service type detection and DRX parameter selection, simplifying the UE's role to executing configured DRX patterns. This maintains relatively low device complexity while achieving high adaptability through network-side intelligence.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3229531B1Discontinuous reception cycle management method and device
Publication Date: 2020.10.28 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3229531B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3229531B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3229531B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The present invention relates to a technology for managing discontinuous reception (DRX). DRX cycles of different cycle lengths are configured according to service types of UE. If it is identified that the user equipment (UE) initiates a voice service, a relatively short first long DRX cycle is configured for the UE or the UE is instructed to deactivate DRX; and if it is identified that the UE does not perform a voice service, a relatively long second long DRX cycle is configured for the UE. The UE performs corresponding receiver on/off control according to the configured long DRX cycle, so as to receive downlink data or hibernate. According to the solution provided in the present invention, a DRX cycle of UE can be flexibly configured, so that a better balance between power consumption reduction of the UE and user experience improvement can be achieved.