Terminal DRX Timer Control Across Inactive Cell Sets
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing peak to average power ratio (PAPR) in cellular communication networks leads to decreased efficiency and rising power consumption in network devices, necessitating energy-saving modes for terminal devices, particularly in managing discontinuous transmission configurations.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for controlling the sending and receiving behavior of terminal devices by utilizing first and second indication information to manage cell DTX/DRX and C-DRX configurations, including stopping or suspending timers when cells are in inactive time, and resuming them when active, to optimize power usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If discontinuous transmission configuration is enabled for cells, then power consumption is reduced, but timer management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cell set into multiple groups, with each group having independent timer management. When discontinuous transmission is configured for a group of cells, separate timers are used to track the inactive time periods for each group, allowing granular control and reducing overall system complexity compared to managing all cells individually.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies discontinuous transmission configuration selectively to specific groups of cells rather than all cells uniformly. Timers are only started or stopped for groups where discontinuous transmission is actually configured, avoiding unnecessary timer operations and reducing management complexity while still achieving power savings in targeted areas.
2Measurement precision
If timer operations are performed for each cell individually, then transmission accuracy is improved, but system overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges timer management at the group level rather than individual cell level. A single timer operation can affect multiple cells within a group, reducing the number of timer start/stop operations needed while maintaining accurate tracking of inactive periods for each cell through group-level timing information.
Solution Approach 2:
The timer mechanism is designed to serve multiple functions: it tracks inactive periods for power saving, coordinates transmission timing across multiple cells, and provides synchronization information. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate mechanisms, lowering system overhead while maintaining transmission accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication method and apparatus are provided and relate to the field of wireless communication technologies. The method includes: A terminal device receives first indication information and second indication information that are sent by a network device, where the first indication information enables a first discontinuous transmission configuration for cells in a first cell set, and the second indication information enables a second discontinuous transmission configuration for cells in the first cell set. The terminal device determines that the cells that are in the first cell set and whose first discontinuous transmission configuration is enabled are all in inactive time in the first discontinuous transmission configuration, and stops or suspends a timer corresponding to the second discontinuous transmission configuration. According to the method, a sending/receiving behavior of the terminal device can be controlled if C-DRX and cell DTX/DRX are configured for the cells.