NR Inactivity Timer Handling for Early Power-Saving Fallback

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing communication technologies face challenges in optimizing power saving performance during inactivity timer timeouts in terminals, particularly in New Radio (NR) systems, as they often result in inefficient power consumption due to unnecessary monitoring and processing.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an inactivity timer timeout processing method that determines whether to terminate the inactivity timer ahead of time based on power saving signals, such as Wake Up Signaling (WUS) or Going to Sleep (GTS) signals, allowing terminals to fall back to a default bandwidth part (BWP) or deactivate secondary cells (Scell) to conserve power.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the terminal continues to monitor PDCCH during the inactivity timer period, then the reliability of receiving downlink data is improved, but the power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of receiving downlink dataVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic monitoring of PDCCH during the inactivity timer period instead of continuous monitoring. The terminal monitors PDCCH at specific intervals (e.g., at the beginning of each slot or at configured periodic intervals) rather than continuously, which reduces power consumption while maintaining the ability to receive downlink data when needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent dynamically adjusts the monitoring behavior based on the inactivity timer state. When the inactivity timer is running, the terminal transitions from continuous monitoring to periodic or reduced monitoring, adapting its behavior to the current traffic conditions and timer state to optimize power consumption while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of energy

If the terminal performs inactivity timer timeout processing, then the power saving effect is improved, but the response time to actual data transmission increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower saving effectVSAvoidresponse time to data transmission

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions before the inactivity timer actually times out. The network can trigger early termination of the inactivity timer or activate the terminal before the timeout occurs, based on predictions of upcoming data transmission. This allows the terminal to maintain a more active state in advance, reducing the response time when actual data transmission occurs while still benefiting from power savings during truly idle periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the network monitors traffic patterns and provides feedback to control the inactivity timer behavior. Based on feedback about upcoming data transmissions or traffic patterns, the network can adjust the timer expiration behavior to balance power savings with response time requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20260075531A1Inactivity timer timeout processing methods and apparatuses

Publication Date: 2026.03.12 BEIJING XIAOMI MOBILE SOFTWARE CO LTD

AI summary

An inactivity timer timeout processing method is provided in the present disclosure, the method is applied to a terminal, the terminal is provided with an inactivity timer which is running, and the method includes: acquiring a power saving signal; and performing an inactivity timer timeout processing according to the power saving signal.