One-Step Uplink Transmission From Idle State Using Pre-Allocated Resources

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Solution Overview

Problem

Small uplink data transmissions in 5G NR communication systems are unfeasible for UEs with restricted power sources due to the need for significant power consumption during the initial connection establishment process, including monitoring synchronization signals and decoding system information blocks, which is not efficient for devices relying on energy harvesting.

Innovation Solution

A UE equipped with a pre-stored database associating cell IDs with pre-allocated uplink resources and transmission parameters, allowing one-step data transmission from an idle state by recognizing a predefined signal sequence indicating support for this feature, thereby eliminating the need for a RACH procedure and reducing power consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a UE performs initial connection establishment procedure to monitor SSB and decode system information, then the UE can establish reliable connection with the network, but the power consumption increases significantly which is unacceptable for energy harvesting devices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection establishment reliabilityVSAvoidUE power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The network performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring and broadcasting grant-free uplink resources and transmission parameters through system information before the UE needs to transmit data. This allows the UE to immediately access pre-configured resources without performing the full initial connection establishment procedure, significantly reducing power consumption while maintaining connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts the essential elements needed for data transmission (uplink resources and transmission parameters) from the complete initial connection establishment procedure. By separating these critical components from the full RACH and system information decoding process, the UE can obtain just enough information to transmit small data packets without consuming excessive power.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If a UE performs complete initial connection establishment including RACH procedure and system information decoding, then the UE can obtain all necessary transmission parameters, but the activity time increases which reduces battery life for energy harvesting devices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission parameter accuracyVSAvoidUE activity time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The network performs preliminary configuration of grant-free uplink resources and transmission parameters, broadcasting them through system information blocks before the UE needs to transmit. This preliminary action provides the UE with all necessary transmission parameters in advance, eliminating the need for time-consuming RACH procedures and repeated system information decoding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The UE is enabled to self-configure for uplink transmission by autonomously selecting from pre-configured grant-free resources based on simple criteria (e.g., data size, QoS requirements). This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for network-controlled resource allocation through RACH, significantly reducing activity time while maintaining transmission parameter accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If a UE monitors SSB periodically and decodes MIB and SIB to establish connection, then the UE can synchronize with the network, but the processing resources and time consumed are excessive for small data transmissions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork synchronizationVSAvoiddata transmission efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the essential synchronization information from the complete SSB monitoring and system information decoding process. The UE performs minimal synchronization by detecting the SSB for timing and frequency alignment, then immediately uses pre-configured grant-free resources for data transmission, bypassing the need to decode MIB and SIB in detail.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The UE skips the time-consuming steps of complete system information decoding and RACH procedure by directly accessing pre-configured grant-free uplink resources. This allows the UE to rush through the minimal necessary synchronization and immediately transmit small data packets, dramatically improving transmission efficiency for small data scenarios.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

Data Source

PatentEP4042797B1One-step data transmission in telecommunication systems
Publication Date: 2025.11.26 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP4042797B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4042797B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4042797B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of wireless communications, and in particular to techniques for performing one-step data transmissions from a User Equipment (UE) to a Base Station (BS), without requiring the UE to transit from an idle state to a connected state in a wireless communication network. To make it possible to perform the one-step data transmission, the UE receives a confirmation from the BS that the BS supports the one-step data transmission (which means that the BS has allocated, in advance, the UL resources for performing the one-step data transmission), and to have a pre-stored database associating cell IDs of different cells with corresponding pre-allocated UL resources and transmission parameters. Said confirmation from the BS may be represented by a predefined signal sequence, the presence of which will inform the UE about the possibility of performing the one-step data transmission within a cell of interest. After receiving the predefined signal sequence, the UE uses the pre-stored database to find the UL resources and transmission parameters used for the one-step data transmission from the idle state within the cell of interest.