Low-Power LTE Paging Monitoring Resource Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication devices face challenges in conserving power while maintaining effective communication capabilities, particularly in idle mode where unnecessary resources consume battery life without contributing to active communication tasks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a paging subsystem that places unused wireless communication system resources into a low-power or power-down state during idle mode, with the ability to restore them when necessary for paging monitoring, using techniques such as reducing memory voltages and clock frequencies, and saving system states in non-volatile memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wireless communication resources remain active during idle mode to ensure immediate paging monitoring capability, then communication responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the wireless communication resources into two groups: essential resources (paging subsystem, RF front-end, synchronization circuits) that remain active for immediate paging monitoring, and non-essential resources (data processing units, application processors, memory systems) that are powered down during idle mode. This segmentation enables the device to maintain paging monitoring capability while significantly reducing overall power consumption by selectively maintaining only the minimum necessary subsystems in an active state.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic activation of communication resources synchronized with the network's paging cycle. Resources are activated only during designated paging monitoring intervals and deactivated between these intervals, creating a periodic on-off pattern that matches the network's paging structure. This periodic action ensures the device can detect incoming pages at the correct moments while minimizing the duration that resources remain powered, thereby reducing average power consumption.
2Use of energy by moving object
If all communication resources are placed in low-power state during idle mode, then power consumption is reduced, but system responsiveness to paging increases latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent places essential paging monitoring resources in a pre-configured low-power state that preserves their operational readiness without requiring full system initialization upon activation. Critical parameters, synchronization information, and configuration data are maintained in low-power memory, allowing the paging subsystem to resume operation rapidly when activated by a paging signal, thus minimizing the effective response time while maintaining power savings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different power states to different resource components based on their functional requirements. Essential real-time resources (RF front-end, paging decoder) are kept in a light sleep state with minimal power consumption but fast wake-up capability, while non-critical resources (data processors, displays) are placed in deep power-down states. This localized differentiation of power states optimizes the balance between power savings and response time by ensuring critical paths remain partially active.
3Duration of action of moving object
If communication resources are frequently activated and deactivated to conserve power, then battery life is extended, but resource wear and system stability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent aligns resource activation/deactivation cycles with the network's periodic paging structure, ensuring resources are activated only when necessary for paging monitoring and kept stable during active connections. This periodic action synchronized with external network timing reduces the frequency of unnecessary state transitions, thereby extending component lifespan while maintaining battery efficiency. The predictable rhythm of activation also allows the system to enter stable states longer, reducing wear from frequent switching.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements gradual transition protocols between power states, including controlled ramp-up and ramp-down sequences that minimize stress on components during switching. Low-power memory retention and configuration preservation are maintained throughout transitions to prevent data corruption or system instability. These cushioning measures during state changes protect components from abrupt electrical stress while ensuring smooth, reliable transitions that extend resource durability.
Data Source
AI summary
A wireless communication device (UE) may include a paging subsystem that performs paging-monitoring as part of wireless communications of the wireless communication device. The UE may place wireless communication system resources not required during paging-monitoring into either a low-power state or a power-down state, and those system resources may remain in one of those respective states during paging-monitoring. The wireless communication system resources not required during the paging-monitoring may include at least a wireless communications protocol stack used during the wireless communications of the UE, and at least system resources used for performing uplink related tasks independently of wireless communication system resources used for performing downlink related tasks. The paging subsystem may include at least a control manager subsystem capable of decoding a physical downlink control channel, a downlink control subsystem capable of performing tasks related to a physical downlink data channel, and a message parser for parsing paging messages.