IoT Device Uplink Timing Advance Update Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

In IoT networks with limited frequency bandwidth, electronic devices face challenges in updating timing advance values, leading to inefficient signal transmission and potential network resource wastage due to uncorrected uplink transmission timing.

Innovation Solution

An electronic device with a communication circuit, processor, and memory is designed to establish a radio link with a base station, request random access, receive and update timing advance values, and adjust uplink transmission timing based on messages from the base station, even when using low-power wide-area networks with limited bandwidth.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If the electronic device uses limited frequency bandwidth in LPWAN, then power consumption is reduced and coverage is extended, but the ability to update timing advance values is limited causing transmission timing errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidtiming advance value update capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The electronic device performs timing advance value updates proactively during scheduled random access occasions rather than waiting for timing errors to occur. By preliminarily adjusting the timing advance value at predetermined intervals, the device prevents transmission timing errors before they degrade communication reliability, thus maintaining reliable operation in bandwidth-limited LPWAN environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically switches between different timing advance update mechanisms: using scheduled random access for proactive updates in LPWAN mode, and using dynamic random access only when necessary. This dynamic adaptation allows the device to maintain timing synchronization reliability while preserving the low-power, limited-bandwidth characteristics of LPWAN operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Measurement precision

If the electronic device performs frequent random access to update timing advance values, then transmission timing accuracy is improved, but network resource consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransmission timing accuracyVSAvoidnetwork resource consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The electronic device performs timing advance value updates periodically at predetermined intervals through scheduled random access, rather than continuously or on-demand. This periodic approach maintains adequate timing synchronization accuracy while significantly reducing network resource consumption compared to frequent updates, achieving an optimal balance between timing precision and resource efficiency in LPWAN environments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The device performs timing advance updates at a moderate frequency that is sufficient to maintain acceptable timing accuracy without being excessive. By using scheduled random access at predetermined intervals rather than continuous updates, the system applies just enough action to maintain timing synchronization while avoiding unnecessary network resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the electronic device applies timing advance values received from base station, then uplink transmission timing is synchronized, but signal transmission rate may decrease due to limited bandwidth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuplink transmission timing synchronizationVSAvoidsignal transmission rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The timing advance value is applied in advance to pre-synchronize uplink transmissions before actual data transfer begins. By preliminarily adjusting the transmission timing based on received timing advance values, the device ensures that subsequent uplink signals are properly synchronized with the base station, enabling reliable communication even at reduced transmission rates inherent to LPWAN's limited bandwidth.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11122633B2Apparatus and method for controlling uplink transmission timing in internet of things environment

Publication Date: 2021.09.14 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device supporting a low power wide area network (LPWAN) includes a communication circuit to make communication with a base station, a processor electrically connected with the communication circuit, and a memory electrically connected with the processor. The memory may include instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to establish a radio link with the base station by using the communication circuit, to transmit, to the base station, a first message requesting a random access by using the communication circuit, to receive a second message replying to the first message from the base station by using the communication circuit, when a timer is running for uplink transmission timing, and to update an existing timing advance value for the uplink transmission timing, based on a timing advance value included in the second message.