NTN Beam Duty Cycle Management for UE Power and Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
In non-terrestrial network (NTN) communications, there is a challenge in balancing the higher power requirements of local beams for better coverage with the need to perform non-connected tasks, and existing technologies are unclear on how user equipment (UE) can efficiently utilize local beams for such tasks.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves implementing a duty cycle configuration for local beams, allowing UE to use local beams only when necessary and enabling non-connected tasks, with network nodes transmitting duty cycle configurations and exchanging data outside the on-time of the duty cycle to reduce interference and power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If local beams are used to provide local coverage with higher powers, then coverage quality is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements duty cycle configurations that enable UEs to perform non-connected tasks (such as initial cell access, paging, and cell reselection) during specific time windows when local beams are active. UEs can exchange data with the network during these periodic on-times, and remain in low-power states during off-times, thus achieving periodic communication functionality while reducing overall power consumption compared to continuous operation.
2Reliability
If local beams are used continuously to maintain coverage, then coverage reliability is improved, but interference increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs duty cycle configurations where local beams are activated periodically rather than continuously. During on-times, beams provide necessary coverage for non-connected tasks; during off-times, beam transmission is reduced or stopped. This periodic operation maintains coverage reliability when needed while minimizing interference to other systems during off periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts beam operation based on UE needs and network conditions. The duty cycle configurations allow the system to transition between active and inactive states, enabling flexible resource allocation where beams are activated only when UEs need to perform non-connected tasks, thus optimizing the balance between coverage reliability and interference reduction.
3Productivity
If UEs continuously monitor local beams for non-connected tasks, then task performance is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent configures UEs to monitor local beams periodically during duty cycle on-times rather than continuously. UEs can perform non-connected tasks such as initial cell access, paging reception, and cell reselection during these periodic monitoring windows, then enter low-power states during off-times. This approach maintains task performance capability while significantly reducing power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
Various solutions for beam utilization management in in non-terrestrial network (NTN) communications are described. An apparatus (e.g., a UE) obtains a duty cycle configuration with respect to a duty cycle of one or more beams of a set of beams of a cell in NTN communications. The apparatus then performs a task according to the duty cycle configuration.