Communications Device DRX Inactivity Timer Power Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current wireless communications systems face challenges in efficiently managing power consumption, particularly during inactivity periods and short discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles, leading to increased battery usage and reduced device performance.

Innovation Solution

A communications device configured to switch between active and reduced power operating modes based on DRX operations, utilizing an inactivity timer and short DRX periods to optimize power consumption by reducing receiver activity during periods of inactivity and adjusting monitoring frequencies accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the communications device continuously monitors for downlink signals during active operating mode, then the reliability of signal reception is improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal reception reliabilityVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The communications device implements discontinuous reception (DRX) operation, periodically switching between active monitoring mode and reduced power mode. The inactivity timer mechanism allows the device to monitor signals at regular intervals rather than continuously, reducing power consumption while maintaining reliable signal detection capability when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The device dynamically adjusts its operating mode based on traffic conditions. When downlink transmissions are detected, the inactivity timer is reset and the device remains in active mode. When no transmissions occur for the timer duration, the device transitions to reduced power mode, creating a dynamic adaptation to actual communication needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Use of energy by moving object

If the communications device switches to reduced power operating mode during inactivity, then the power consumption is reduced, but the response time to detect new signals increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidsignal detection delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The inactivity timer is configured with a predetermined duration that balances power savings with signal detection requirements. This preliminary timing configuration ensures the device wakes up at appropriate intervals to check for signals, preventing excessive delays while maintaining power efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses feedback from downlink transmission detection to control the operating mode. When signals are detected during reduced power mode, the device immediately transitions back to active mode, ensuring rapid response to actual communication needs while maintaining power efficiency during genuine idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of energy

If the inactivity timer duration is extended, then the power savings during idle periods increase, but the device remains in active mode longer than necessary

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy savingsVSAvoidoperational efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The inactivity timer duration is optimized to a specific value that balances energy savings with operational efficiency. This parameter tuning ensures the device transitions to power-saving mode at the optimal moment, avoiding both premature transitions that would reduce energy savings and excessive delays that would harm productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

4Measurement precision

If the device monitors signals at high frequency during active mode, then the detection precision of downlink transmissions is improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesignal detection precisionVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The device performs signal monitoring at periodic intervals defined by the DRX cycle and inactivity timer, rather than continuously. This periodic monitoring maintains adequate detection precision for typical communication patterns while dramatically reducing power consumption compared to continuous high-frequency monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12069574B2Communications devices, infrastructure equipment and methods

Publication Date: 2024.08.20 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

A communications device configured to receive signals from an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network is provided. The communications device is configured to periodically switch, in accordance with a first periodic rate, between a primary active operating mode and a primary reduced power operating mode in accordance with a primary discontinuous reception, DRX, operation. In some embodiments, the communications device is configured in combination with the receiver to monitor for signals transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device during the primary active operating mode, to switch off the receiver during the primary reduced power operating mode, and to start, during an instance of the primary active operating mode upon detection of a first downlink transmission from the infrastructure equipment to the communications device, an inactivity timer specifying an inactivity period during which the communications device does not switch into the primary reduced power operating mode.