DRX and DTX Timing Coordination for Low-Latency Signal Transmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge arises when cell DRX active time does not completely overlap cell DTX or C-DRX active time, necessitating efficient signal transmission methods between terminals and network devices to reduce transmission delays and power consumption.

Innovation Solution

The method allows terminals to send HARQ-ACK information and scheduling requests within DRX non-active time, and network devices to transmit DCI within DTX non-active time, without waiting for the next active cycle, by configuring specific time periods for these actions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If cell DRX and cell DTX are configured independently, then power consumption is reduced, but signal transmission delay increases when active times do not overlap

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsignal transmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the DRX active time and DTX active time by aligning their time intervals through coordinated configuration of drx-OnDurationTimer, drx-InactivityTimer, and dtx-ActiveTime parameters. This ensures both mechanisms are simultaneously in active state during overlapping periods, enabling signal transmission without delay while maintaining power savings during non-overlapping periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the active time intervals of DRX and DTX based on traffic conditions and network requirements. By making the active times flexible and configurable rather than fixed, the system can adapt to different scenarios to minimize transmission delays while maintaining energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of energy

If terminals wait for DRX active time to send signals, then power consumption is reduced, but transmission delay increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveterminal power consumptionVSAvoidsignal transmission delay
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent configures the DRX and DTX active times in advance to overlap, so that when the terminal needs to send signals (HARQ-ACK, SR), the active time is already prepared and available. This preliminary alignment eliminates the need for terminals to wait for the next active cycle, reducing transmission delay while maintaining power efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If network devices send DCI during DTX non-active time, then transmission efficiency improves, but power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork device power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSUse of energy by stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different quality requirements to different time periods: during DTX non-active time, the network device maintains the capability to send DCI for critical signals, but does not continuously monitor all channels. This local optimization allows efficient transmission of essential control information while reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP4694003A1Communication method and apparatus and storage medium
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4694003A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4694003A1 patent drawingFigure 2~4
  • EP4694003A1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

A communication method and apparatus, and a storage medium are disclosed. The method includes: A terminal receives first configuration information from a network device, where the first configuration information may include DRX configuration information of a first cell, and the DRX configuration information of the first cell indicates DRX non-active time of the first cell. If the terminal is within the DRX non-active time of the first cell when needing to send first information, the terminal may not be constrained by DRX of the first cell, and the terminal may send, in the first cell, the first information within the DRX non-active time of the first cell, where the first information includes hybrid automatic repeat request-acknowledgment HARQ-ACK information and/or a scheduling request SR. Therefore, when cell DRX active time does not completely overlap cell DTX active time and/or C-DRX active time, signal transmission can also be performed between the terminal and the network device, and a transmission delay can be reduced.