Aligning HSDPA Discontinuous Reception Patterns

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Solution Overview

Problem

In multiflow High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) systems, the alignment of downlink discontinuous reception patterns across multiple cells is not effectively managed, leading to inefficiencies in power consumption and reduced energy savings due to misaligned High-Speed Shared Control Channel (HS-SCCH) timing, which increases the duration the UE receiver needs to be active.

Innovation Solution

The proposed solution involves redefining the HS-SCCH reception pattern by aligning the start of CFN_DRX on one cell based on the other cell, maximizing overlapping between HS-SCCH reception patterns, and using RRC signaling to adjust sub-frame pairing and timing offsets to ensure the UE only needs to be active for a shorter duration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If downlink discontinuous reception patterns are not aligned across multiple cells, then each cell can independently manage its HS-SCCH timing, but the UE receiver must remain active for longer durations to monitor all cells, increasing power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindependent cell timing managementVSAvoidUE receiver power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the timing management of HS-SCCH across multiple cells by aligning their discontinuous reception patterns to a common reference. This allows the UE to monitor multiple cells simultaneously with synchronized reception windows, reducing the total active time required and thereby lowering power consumption while maintaining independent cell management capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Use of energy by moving object

If HS-SCCH reception patterns are aligned across multiple cells, then the UE receiver can be active for shorter durations, reducing power consumption, but the timing coordination between cells becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveUE receiver power consumptionVSAvoidtiming coordination complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the timing coordination problem by introducing a reference cell concept where one cell's timing serves as the baseline. Other cells are then coordinated relative to this reference, breaking down the complex multi-cell synchronization problem into simpler pairwise alignments and reducing overall coordination complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the reference cell as an intermediary element that mediates timing coordination between multiple cells. By establishing one cell as the timing reference, the system simplifies the coordination mechanism while achieving aligned discontinuous reception patterns across all cells, thereby reducing UE power consumption without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3358893B1Method and apparatus for aligning downlink discontinuous reception patterns in multiflow hsdpa
Publication Date: 2020.12.02 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP3358893B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3358893B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3358893B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of this disclosure relate to methods and apparatuses for aligning downlink discontinuous reception patterns in multiflow High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA). One aspect of the disclosure provides a method for wireless communications. The method includes: transmitting a current sub-frame pairing between a first cell and a second cell to an RNC, the current sub-frame pairing having a timing offset representative of a sub-frame delay between the first cell and the second cell; and receiving a confirmation regarding the sub-frame pairing, or an updated sub-frame pairing between the first and second cells and corresponding timing, from the RNC.