Network-Controlled Repeater Power Saving via Transceiver State Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems, particularly in 5G NR, face challenges in power management for network-controlled repeaters (NCRs), leading to inefficient energy usage when not actively engaged in data transmission or reception.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of power saving techniques in NCRs, where the repeaters receive configuration information from base stations to manage the states of their transceiver circuitry, including transitioning to an OFF state when no physical uplink channel or signal is received for a threshold amount of time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the transceiver circuitry of the NCR operates continuously to monitor and transmit signals, then the communication reliability and coverage are improved, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The NCR implements periodic monitoring of uplink channels instead of continuous monitoring. The repeater activates transceiver circuitry only during scheduled monitoring intervals and transitions to an OFF state between intervals, reducing power consumption while maintaining communication reliability through periodic signal detection
Solution Approach 2:
The NCR dynamically adjusts the operational state of its transceiver circuitry based on detected uplink signal conditions. When signals are detected, the circuitry transitions to an active state; when no signals are detected for a threshold period, it transitions to an OFF state, optimizing the balance between reliability and power consumption
2Loss of time
If the NCR monitors uplink channels frequently to detect user signals, then the response time to establish communication is reduced, but the power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The NCR employs periodic monitoring at configured intervals rather than continuous monitoring. This approach accepts a trade-off where response time is extended to match the monitoring periodicity, but power consumption is significantly reduced during idle periods when no uplink signals are present
Solution Approach 2:
The NCR autonomously determines when to activate monitoring based on the detection of uplink signals. The system self-adjusts its monitoring behavior, activating only when necessary to detect user equipment signals, thereby reducing unnecessary power consumption while maintaining adequate response time
3Use of energy by moving object
If the NCR transitions transceiver circuitry to an OFF state to save power, then the power consumption is reduced, but the ability to detect and respond to uplink signals is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The NCR performs preliminary monitoring of uplink channels at configured intervals before transitioning to the OFF state. By checking for the presence of uplink signals in advance, the system ensures that it only enters low-power mode when safe to do so, maintaining signal detection capability while enabling power savings during idle periods
Solution Approach 2:
The NCR uses feedback from uplink channel monitoring to control the operational state of its transceiver circuitry. When signals are detected during monitoring intervals, the system maintains or activates the active state; when no signals are detected for the threshold period, it transitions to the OFF state, creating a feedback-driven power management system that balances power consumption with signal detection reliability
Data Source
AI summary
A network-controlled repeater (NCR) may receive configuration information from a base station to configure one or more receive (Rx) beams and corresponding time-domain resources for potential reception from one or more user equipments (UEs). The NCR may monitor for reception of a physical uplink channel or signal from the one or more UEs on the configured one or more Rx beams on the corresponding time-domain resources and determine that the physical uplink channel or signal is not received for at least a threshold amount of time. Additionally, the NCR may determine to refrain from at least one of additional monitoring for reception of the physical uplink channel or signal from the one or more UEs or transmission of one or more synchronization signal block (SSBs) to the one or more UEs for a duration of time.