Dynamic DRX Indicator for Wireless Device Power Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing power consumption and latency across a wide range of devices with varying data traffic profiles, particularly in supporting devices with high latency tolerance and low complexity, such as those for the Internet of Things, within 5G and future wireless networks.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a Dynamic DRX Indicator (DDI) that dynamically adjusts the ON duration of a communications device's Discontinuous Reception (DRX) operation, allowing for updated DRX cycles with offset periods and sub-DRX cycles, thereby improving power saving and reducing unnecessary power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If devices operate in continuous reception mode to ensure low latency communication, then communication responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements DRX (Discontinuous Reception) operation where the communications device periodically switches between active and inactive states. During inactive periods, the device powers down reception circuits to save energy, while periodically waking up to check for incoming communications. This periodic operation resolves the contradiction by accepting occasional latency for the periodic wake-ups in exchange for significant power savings during inactive periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment of DRX parameters including variable ON duration, offset periods, and sub-DRX cycles that can be adapted based on traffic conditions and device state. The system dynamically transitions between different DRX configurations and RRC states (connected, inactive, idle) to optimize the balance between latency and power consumption for different operational scenarios.
2Reliability
If DRX ON duration is extended to capture more data traffic, then data reception completeness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the DRX ON duration parameter based on observed traffic patterns, device activity state, and network conditions. The ON duration is extended when traffic is detected or expected, and reduced when the device is inactive, thereby adapting the reception window to actual needs and avoiding unnecessary power consumption during extended idle ON periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses offset periods and wake-up signals to prepare the device for incoming traffic before the actual data arrival. By anticipating traffic patterns and pre-positioning the device in active state at appropriate intervals, the system ensures data reception completeness while minimizing the total time spent in high-power active state.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple DRX parameters are configured to support diverse traffic profiles, then adaptability to different devices is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal DRX framework that uses a standardized set of parameters (ON duration, offset periods, sub-DRX cycles, RRC state transitions) that can serve multiple different traffic profiles and device types. Rather than implementing separate DRX mechanisms for different device categories, the same core mechanism is configured with different parameter values to accommodate diverse requirements, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables different DRX parameter configurations to be applied to different devices, device groups, or traffic types based on their specific requirements. Each device or traffic profile can have locally optimized DRX parameters while using the same underlying mechanism, allowing tailored performance without requiring fundamentally different systems for each use case.
4Use of energy by moving object
If DRX offset periods are introduced to align active periods with traffic patterns, then power saving is improved, but timing synchronization complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces offset periods that are configured in advance to align DRX active periods with expected traffic patterns. The offset values are pre-calculated and configured based on historical traffic data or network scheduling information, allowing devices to proactively position their active periods to match traffic arrivals without requiring complex real-time synchronization adjustments during operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where the network monitors device activity patterns and traffic arrivals, then adjusts DRX offset parameters accordingly. This closed-loop approach allows the system to learn and adapt to actual traffic patterns over time, optimizing power saving while maintaining synchronization accuracy through iterative parameter refinement rather than complex real-time calculations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A communications device configured to transmit data to an infrastructure equipment of a wireless communications network is provided. The communications device is configured to periodically switch between an active operating mode and a reduced power operating mode in accordance with a discontinuous reception, DRX, operation. The communications device comprises transceiver circuitry configured to transmit signals and receive signals via a wireless access interface provided by the wireless communications network, and controller circuitry configured to control the transceiver circuitry to monitor for signals transmitted by the infrastructure equipment to the communications device, to receive, from the infrastructure equipment, a dynamic DRX indicator, DDI, the DDI indicating that the DRX operation should be updated by the communications device, and to update the DRX operation in accordance with the received DDI.