Early Downlink Data Transmission in Idle State

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication technologies face challenges in efficiently transmitting small downlink data packets, leading to high system overheads, low resource utilization, excessive power consumption, and inability to meet latency requirements in scenarios like machine type communication and narrowband Internet of Things.

Innovation Solution

A method for early transmission of downlink data that allows terminals to receive data in an idle state without establishing an RRC connection, using a simple connection establishment process to improve resource utilization and reduce power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex RRC connection establishment procedure is used to transmit downlink data, then the terminal can reliably receive data, but system overheads are excessively high and resource utilization is low

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidconnection establishment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the traditional RRC connection establishment procedure into optional components. For small downlink data packets, only essential signaling is performed while skipping non-essential steps like full RRC connection setup, context configuration, and bearer configuration. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability for data transmission while significantly reducing procedure complexity and overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If a complex RRC connection establishment procedure is used, then data can be transmitted reliably, but power consumption of the terminal is excessively high

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidterminal power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes non-essential steps from the traditional RRC connection establishment procedure when transmitting small downlink data packets. By taking out unnecessary signaling exchanges, context setup, and bearer configuration steps, the terminal's power consumption is significantly reduced while still maintaining the core function of reliable data reception through essential signaling only.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Reliability

If repeated sending method is used for coverage enhancement, then data receiving success rate is improved, but latency requirement cannot be met

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata receiving success rateVSAvoiddata transmission latency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by having the terminal send an indication message in advance during the random access procedure to notify the network side that it is capable of receiving downlink data. This allows the network side to prepare and transmit data efficiently without requiring multiple repeated transmissions for coverage enhancement, thereby reducing latency while maintaining reception success rate through proactive capability signaling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3846577B1Method and device for early transmission of downlink data
Publication Date: 2025.03.05 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3846577B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3846577B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP3846577B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

A method for early transmission of downlink data and an apparatus are disclosed, to implement early transmission of downlink data, improve utilization of resources, and reduce power consumption of a terminal. The method includes: sending a random access preamble to a network device; receiving a random access response from the network device; sending a message 3 to the network device in response to the random access response, wherein the message 3 carries a first indication, and the first indication is used to indicate a single downlink data packet; and receiving a message 4 from the network device, wherein the message 4 carries downlink data.