Dynamic UL Gap Scheduling for UE MPE Proximity Detection

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current UE devices in FR2 frequency bands face challenges in accurately detecting the proximity of a person to adjust transmission power to comply with MPE regulations, leading to potential radio link failures and unnecessary throughput reduction.

Innovation Solution

Implement dynamic UL gap scheduling and power reduction based on proximity detection, using wireless antenna panels to estimate distance and adjust transmission power dynamically, allowing for more accurate power management and reducing unnecessary RLF events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If the UE reduces output power to comply with MPE regulations, then MPE compliance is improved, but connection reliability deteriorates (radio link failure)

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveMPE complianceVSAvoidconnection reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic UL gap scheduling where the gap duration is adjusted based on real-time proximity detection. When a user is detected to be close to the UE, longer UL gaps are scheduled to allow adequate power reduction for MPE compliance. When the user is farther away, shorter UL gaps are used, allowing the UE to transmit at higher power levels. This dynamic adjustment resolves the contradiction by making the scheduling adaptive to actual exposure conditions rather than using a fixed conservative approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of UL gap duration dynamically based on proximity detection results. The network modifies the gap length between uplink transmissions according to whether the user is detected to be in close proximity. This parameter change allows the system to optimize between MPE compliance and connection reliability by adjusting the timing parameters rather than fixing them in advance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the UE reduces output power significantly to ensure MPE compliance, then MPE compliance is improved, but throughput deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveMPE complianceVSAvoidthroughput
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The dynamic UL gap scheduling allows the system to optimize throughput by reducing gaps when MPE exposure is low. Instead of continuously maintaining large gaps to ensure compliance, the system only increases gaps when proximity detection indicates potential exposure. This dynamic approach preserves throughput during normal operation while ensuring MPE compliance when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the UL gap duration parameter based on proximity conditions. When the user is far from the UE, the system uses shorter gaps that allow higher transmission power and thus better throughput. When the user is close, the gap parameter is increased to ensure MPE compliance. This parameter adaptation resolves the contradiction between compliance and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Device complexity

If fixed UL gap scheduling is used for MPE detection, then implementation simplicity is improved, but detection accuracy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimplementation simplicityVSAvoidproximity detection accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from fixed UL gap scheduling to dynamic scheduling based on proximity detection. The network continuously monitors proximity indicators and adjusts the gap duration accordingly. This dynamic approach improves detection accuracy by adapting to real-time conditions while maintaining reasonable implementation complexity through automated network-controlled adjustments.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback-based UL gap adjustment where proximity detection results are fed back to the network, which then adjusts the scheduling parameters. This feedback mechanism improves detection accuracy by using actual proximity information rather than relying on fixed timing, while the automated feedback loop keeps the implementation manageable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP4324255B1Dynamic UL gaps for MPE detection
Publication Date: 2026.03.25 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4324255B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4324255B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4324255B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In a system, apparatus, method, and non-transitory computer readable medium for implementing dynamic uplink (UL) gaps for maximum permissible exposure (MPE) detection, a user equipment (UE) device include a wireless antenna array, a memory storing computer readable instructions and a UL gap configuration, and processing circuitry configured to execute the computer readable instructions to cause the device to, determine estimated distance information between a user and the device using the wireless antenna array during at least one first scheduled UL gap of the UL gap scheduling in accordance with the UE maximum transmission power limit, the UL gap scheduling based on a default UL gap periodicity value and a default UL gap duration value, transmit a MPE-related message to the node based on the estimated distance information and a desired MPE threshold, and adjust the UL gap configuration based on the transmitted MPE-related message.