Non-Terrestrial Sync Signaling for Low-Energy Network Access
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing variable resource demands and energy consumption in mobile devices, particularly in non-terrestrial networks, especially for mobile user equipment like smartphones and tablets, due to varying QoS requirements and stringent latency and reliability needs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving non-terrestrial radio network nodes that broadcast reduced-content synchronization signal blocks, omitting master information, and utilize idle-mode beams for connection establishment, including preamble indications and uplink resources, to optimize resource usage and energy efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-terrestrial radio network nodes broadcast full synchronization signal block messages containing master information, then user equipment can obtain complete system information, but energy consumption increases and resource usage becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential synchronization information (synchronization signal block messages without master information) from the complete system information, allowing user equipment to obtain necessary synchronization data while avoiding the energy consumption associated with transmitting and processing full master information blocks
Solution Approach 2:
The synchronization signal block is segmented into reduced-content versions that exclude master information, enabling selective information delivery based on actual user equipment needs for connection establishment, thereby reducing overall energy consumption in the network
2Use of energy by moving object
If non-terrestrial radio network nodes broadcast reduced-content synchronization signal block messages omitting master information, then energy consumption decreases, but connection establishment efficiency may be impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by having user equipment attempt to obtain system information from terrestrial radio network nodes before initiating connection establishment with non-terrestrial nodes, so that when connection is needed, the user equipment already has relevant information cached, reducing the impact of reduced-content broadcasts
Solution Approach 2:
Terrestrial radio network nodes act as intermediaries that provide system information to user equipment before the user equipment needs to connect to non-terrestrial nodes, allowing the non-terrestrial nodes to broadcast reduced-content synchronization signals while still maintaining efficient connection establishment
3Productivity
If non-terrestrial radio network nodes use idle-mode beams for broadcasting, then resource allocation is optimized, but signal coverage may be limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning between idle-mode beams (for resource optimization) and non-idle-mode beams (for enhanced coverage) based on detected user equipment presence and connection establishment needs, allowing the system to adapt beam modes dynamically to balance resource efficiency and coverage requirements
Data Source
AI summary
A non-terrestrial radio network node may broadcast a reduced-content synchronization signal block message, via an idle-mode beam, which may indicate non-terrestrial uplink resources usable by a user equipment to transmit a first preamble or a second preamble indicated by the reduced content message. If the user equipment cannot connect with a terrestrial radio network node upon determining to establish a connection with the non-terrestrial node, the user equipment may transmit a second preamble, responsive to which the non-terrestrial node may broadcast full synchronization signal block information via the idle-mode beam. Alternatively, the user equipment may receive, from a terrestrial node, non-terrestrial minimum system information and non-terrestrial beam information indicative of a refined beam, and may transmit, to the non-terrestrial node, a first preamble, responsive to which the non-terrestrial node may activate the refined beam via which the user equipment may establish a connection according to the non-terrestrial minimum system information.