MIB Change Indicator Bit for UE Power Saving

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Solution Overview

Problem

In LTE wireless communication networks, User Equipment (UE) faces significant time and power consumption when decoding System Information Block 1 (SIB1) or SIB1-BR, especially upon exiting Power Saving Mode (PSM), due to the need to determine if system information has changed, which is inefficient and increases system overhead.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that utilize a single bit change indicator integrated into the Master Information Block (MIB) to indicate system information changes, allowing UE to determine if decoding is necessary based on the change indicator and sleep time, reducing unnecessary decoding and enhancing battery life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the UE decodes SIB1 or SIB1-BR to determine system information changes upon exiting PSM, then the UE can accurately detect system information changes, but the UE experiences substantial time and power consumption

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem information change detection accuracyVSAvoidUE power consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the change indication function from the full SIB1/SIB1-BR decoding process by introducing a separate change indicator message that carries only the essential change information, allowing the UE to skip full decoding when changes are not present

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The network performs preliminary action by pre-calculating and broadcasting the change indicator before the UE needs to check for system information changes, enabling the UE to make quick decisions without performing full decoding operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If the UE decodes SIB1 or SIB1-BR to determine system information changes upon exiting PSM, then the UE can accurately detect system information changes, but the acquisition time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem information change detection accuracyVSAvoidUE acquisition time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The UE can skip the time-consuming SIB1/SIB1-BR decoding process by first checking the change indicator, rushing through the detection process when no changes are present and only performing full decoding when necessary

Inventive Principle:

Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Loss of time

If SIB1-BR is transmitted repeatedly to reduce acquisition time, then the UE acquisition time is reduced, but the system overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveUE acquisition timeVSAvoidsystem overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the change indication function from the full SIB1/SIB1-BR messages and transmits it separately in a compact change indicator message, reducing the amount of data that needs to be transmitted repeatedly

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of transmitting full SIB1-BR messages repeatedly and having the UE decode them to check for changes, the patent inverts the approach by transmitting only the change indicator and having the UE perform minimal processing

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentUS11172442B2Method and apparatus for indicating a system information block change

Publication Date: 2021.11.09 SEMTECH CORP

AI summary

A method and apparatus for indicating a system information block change in a wireless communication network is provided. According to the instant application, a single bit within the MIB is assigned as a change indicator, for example a SIB change indicator bit. As such upon the receipt of the MIB by the UE, evaluation of the change indicator within the MIB can enable the UE to determine if the SIB1 or SIB1-BR has changed.