ETWS Notification Acquisition in Connected Mode UEs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sending Earthquake and Tsunami Warning System (ETWS)/Commercial Mobile Alert System (CMAS) notifications to user equipment (UE) in coverage enhancement (CE) mode require UEs to be released from idle mode, leading to additional signaling overhead, delay, and power consumption, disrupting unicast traffic.
Innovation Solution
The use of Downlink Control Information (DCI), Radio Resource Control (RRC), and Medium Access Control (MAC) Coverage Enhancement (CE) techniques allows UEs in CE mode to acquire ETWS/CMAS information without monitoring the UE-specific search space or common search space, reducing the need for simultaneous monitoring of machine-type communication physical downlink control channels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UEs are released from idle mode to acquire ETWS/CMAS notifications, then notification delivery is ensured, but signaling overhead increases and unicast traffic is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ETWS/CMAS notification acquisition from the idle mode release procedure. UEs in CE mode A/B can acquire warnings while remaining in connected mode by monitoring PDCCH for DCI format 6-2 or receiving RRC messages, eliminating the need to transition to idle mode and avoiding the associated signaling overhead and unicast traffic disruption
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables connected mode UEs to perform dual functions: maintaining unicast communication while simultaneously acquiring ETWS/CMAS notifications. The UE monitors both PDCCH for unicast traffic and PDCCH for DCI format 6-2 or receives RRC messages for warnings, allowing both functions to operate concurrently without requiring mode transitions
2Loss of information
If UEs monitor UE-specific search space and common search space simultaneously, then complete control information is received, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the ETWS/CMAS notification reception from the simultaneous monitoring of UE-specific and common search spaces. By using dedicated DCI format 6-2 in the common search space or RRC messages, the UE can acquire warning information without continuously monitoring both search spaces, reducing power consumption while ensuring complete control information reception
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic monitoring for ETWS/CMAS notifications instead of continuous simultaneous monitoring of both search spaces. The UE periodically checks PDCCH for DCI format 6-2 or receives RRC messages at scheduled intervals, reducing power consumption while maintaining reliable control information reception
3Loss of substance
If UEs acquire ETWS/CMAS information in connected mode, then unicast traffic integrity is maintained, but monitoring complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces DCI format 6-2 as an intermediary mechanism for ETWS/CMAS notification delivery. This dedicated DCI format acts as a mediator between the network and UE, providing clear, standardized instructions for warning acquisition without requiring complex monitoring of multiple search spaces, thus reducing monitoring complexity while maintaining unicast traffic integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the monitoring parameters by introducing specific monitoring configurations for DCI format 6-2 with distinct RNTI values (P-RNTI, SI-RNTI, or RA-RNTI). This parameter differentiation simplifies the monitoring process by providing clear, distinct identification for warning messages versus unicast traffic, reducing monitoring complexity while preserving unicast traffic integrity
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, apparatus, and computer programs, for warning system notifications and acquisition. In one aspect, the method includes actions of receiving, by user equipment (UE) and from an access node, data indicating the presence of a PDSCH broadcast, configuring, by the UE and based on the received data, a narrowband (NB) to receive transport blocks in PDSCH, and receiving, by the UE, one or more transport blocks broadcast in PDSCH using the NB, the one or more transport blocks including the warning system information.