Dual-Connectivity Deconfiguration for Voice Call Energy Savings

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Solution Overview

Problem

In dual-connectivity scenarios, maintaining a secondary connection during voice calls unnecessarily consumes resources and battery energy, especially when coverage under the secondary RAT is spotty, leading to inefficiencies.

Innovation Solution

Transitioning a UE from dual connectivity to standalone connectivity over the first connection when a voice call is initiated, and reverting back to dual connectivity when the voice call is complete, thereby releasing the secondary connection and optimizing resource usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If dual-connectivity is maintained during voice calls, then service continuity is ensured, but resource consumption and battery drain increase unnecessarily

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice continuityVSAvoidbattery energy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts connectivity configuration based on service type: maintaining dual-connectivity for data services while switching to standalone connectivity for voice calls. This dynamic adaptation allows the UE to optimize energy consumption by releasing the secondary connection during voice calls while ensuring service continuity by maintaining the primary connection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If dual-connectivity is maintained during voice calls, then network coverage is diversified, but resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork coverageVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different connectivity configurations to different service types: using dual-connectivity for services requiring diversified coverage (data services) and standalone connectivity for services not requiring secondary connection support (voice calls). This localized optimization ensures network coverage is diversified only where necessary, reducing unnecessary energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If secondary connection is maintained during voice calls, then handover options are available, but potential handover-related issues arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehandover optionsVSAvoidhandover stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and removes the secondary connection during voice calls, eliminating potential handover-related issues while maintaining the primary connection for voice service. This selective removal of the secondary connection prevents handover conflicts and instability during voice calls while preserving handover options when the secondary connection is active for data services.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11166130B1De-configuring of dual-connectivity service in response to initiation of voice call

Publication Date: 2021.11.02 SPRINT SPECTRUM LP

AI summary

A method and system for controlling connectivity of a user equipment device (UE). When a UE is served with dual connectivity by a first access node over a first connection in accordance with a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second access node over a second connection in accordance with a second RAT, initiation of a voice call for the UE will be detected. And in response to at least detecting the initiation of the voice call for the UE, the first access node will invoke transition of the UE from being served with the dual connectivity over the first connection and the second connection to instead being served with standalone connectivity over the first connection.