Multi-SIM UE Connected-Mode RX/TX Chain Arbitration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-SIM UE devices face challenges in UE behaviors that negatively impact user experience and system performance due to the lack of standardized protocols for handling multiple SIMs, leading to increased complexity, unexpected behaviors, and degraded performance in concurrent communications.
Innovation Solution
Enhanced UE protocol architecture and state machines are introduced, along with methods for dynamic and semi-static sharing of RX/TX chains, coordinated by an RX/TX Chain Arbiter, to manage concurrent communications across multiple SIMs, minimizing processing overhead and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If dynamic sharing of RX/TX chains is implemented for multi-SIM operation, then system performance and resource utilization are improved, but device complexity and coordination overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic sharing of RX/TX chains by introducing an arbiter that makes real-time decisions about resource allocation based on current communication needs. The system transitions from static resource allocation to dynamic allocation, allowing the same hardware resources to be flexibly assigned to different SIMs based on active communication requirements, thereby improving system performance while managing complexity through automated arbitration
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an RX/TX chain arbiter as an intermediary component that mediates between multiple SIMs competing for shared hardware resources. This arbiter coordinates access requests, manages resource allocation, and resolves conflicts between simultaneous communication needs, thereby enabling efficient multi-SIM operation without requiring separate dedicated hardware for each SIM
2Reliability
If separate RX/TX chains are allocated to each SIM for concurrent communications, then communication reliability is improved, but power consumption and resource utilization deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the RX/TX chains that would otherwise be dedicated to individual SIMs into shared hardware resources. By combining these resources and implementing intelligent sharing mechanisms, the system maintains reliable concurrent communications for multiple SIMs while avoiding the power waste and resource underutilization that would result from having separate dedicated chains for each SIM
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the RX/TX chains universal by enabling them to serve multiple SIMs rather than being dedicated to a single SIM. The same hardware resources can be dynamically allocated to different SIMs based on communication needs, thereby achieving multi-functionality that improves power efficiency while maintaining communication reliability through proper resource management
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods and apparatuses are described herein for multi-subscriber identification module (SIM) connected mode operation. In one embodiment, a wireless communications device may receive, from an access stratum interface, a request access to the receiver chain during a receiving opportunity. The wireless communications device may determine that the receiver chain is available during the receiving opportunity. The wireless communications device may send a response indicating access is granted to cause the access stratum interface to receive a downlink transmission during the receiving opportunity. The wireless communications device may receive, from the access stratum interface, a second request for a transmitter chain during a transmitting opportunity. The wireless communications device may determine that the transmitter chain is available during the transmitting opportunity. The wireless communications device may send a second response indicating access is granted to enable the access stratum interface to transmit an uplink transmission during the transmitting opportunity.