Multi-cell Wake-up Signal Configuration for IoT Energy Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wake-up signal transmission techniques in wireless communication systems require significant energy for channel sensing and cell identification, particularly in battery-powered IoT or MTC devices, leading to increased energy consumption and latency.

Innovation Solution

A method for configuring wake-up signal transmission in a communication network that includes distributing configuration data for wake-up signal transmission across multiple cells, allowing the UE to perform mobility measurements using a cell-specific first part of the wake-up signal, reducing the need for channel sensing and energy consumption.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If channel sensing and cell identification are performed prior to wake-up signal reception, then the UE can verify signal quality and identify serving cell, but energy consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal quality verificationVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring wake-up signal parameters (time-frequency resources, sequence patterns, scrambling IDs) during idle or connected states. When the UE enters inactive state, it can perform mobility measurements using these pre-configured parameters without performing full channel sensing, thus reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable cell identification and signal quality verification capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If channel sensing and cell identification are performed prior to wake-up signal reception, then the UE can verify signal quality and identify serving cell, but latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesignal quality verificationVSAvoidlatency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring wake-up signal parameters during idle or connected states. When the UE enters inactive state, it can perform mobility measurements using these pre-configured parameters without performing full channel sensing, thus reducing energy consumption while maintaining reliable cell identification and signal quality verification capabilities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If the UE uses a low-power receiver for wake-up signal detection, then energy consumption is reduced, but the receiver architecture is simpler and may have limited capability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy consumptionVSAvoidreceiver architecture
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the wake-up signal into cell-specific parts (for mobility measurements) and UE-specific parts (for wake-up indication). The low-power receiver only needs to detect the cell-specific part using pre-configured parameters, which is a simpler task requiring less complex architecture. The main receiver remains inactive during this detection phase, reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining detection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies copying by having the network transmit the cell-specific wake-up signal part that contains mobility measurement information, which the UE can use as a reference for channel sensing without needing to perform separate channel sensing operations. This copied information enables the low-power receiver to perform measurements with simpler architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

4Productivity

If wake-up signal configuration is distributed across multiple cells, then the UE can perform mobility measurements more efficiently, but the configuration management becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemobility measurement efficiencyVSAvoidconfiguration management
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing a multi-cell wake-up signal configuration where a single configuration message from the serving cell contains wake-up signal parameters that are valid for multiple cells (serving cell and neighboring cells). This universal configuration approach enables the UE to perform mobility measurements across multiple cells without requiring separate configuration management for each cell, thus improving productivity while avoiding increased complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3744129B1Multi-cell wake-up signal configuration
Publication Date: 2024.01.03 SONY GROUP CORP
  • EP3744129B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3744129B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3744129B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

A method of operating an access node (112) of a sub-area (161) of a communication network (100) includes transmitting configuration data (4001) for wake-up signal (700, 711, 712, 4003) transmission in the sub-area (161) and in at least one further sub-area (162-168) of the communication network (100).